Forsyth Man Arrested For Fatally Shooting Neighbor's Dog: Police

CUMMING, GA -- A 50-year-old man from Cumming was arrested for animal cruelty after he reportedly shot his neighbor's dog.

A couple returned from dinner on March 15 to their house off Sunset Trail in South Forsyth and found their dog dead in a pool of its own blood.

The next day, they took the dog to their veterinarian where an x-ray showed the dog had been shot and the pellet was still lodged in the deceased animal, according to authorities.

The owner told Forsyth County deputies that the dog would use a pet door to go outside on the deck. A trail of blood went from where the dog was possibly shot in the backyard to the doggie door. The owner said he did not have any issues with any of his neighbors, according to the police report.

Due to where the dog was possibly shot, deputies determined the shot that killed the animal most likely came from the next door neighbor's deck.

Deputies interviewed the neighbor, Carlos Garcia-Lopez, who said he owns several firearms and a pellet gun. During the interview, Garcia-Lopez admitted to shooting the fence to scare the dog to stop it from barking, according to the report, but he shot the dog instead. He went on to say he had problems with dogs using his yard to go to the bathroom.

He said he had previously contacted animal control, but was told there was nothing they could do about the dogs.

Deputies determined Garcia-Lopez maliciously and intentionally killed the dog, so he was arrested March 16 for aggravated animal cruelty.