No charges after man killed family's golden retriever dog with knife

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Police told Channel 2 Action News no one will be charged after someone killed a dog. The man who pulled a knife on the pet said he felt threatened.

Channel 2's Matt Johnson talked to the Henry County Animal Control, which said it's been taking calls all day since a social media post started spreading online.

But animal control officials said their hands are tied since the dog was off its leash, no matter if the family said their golden retriever has never hurt anyone.

Nala, the family dog, had just given birth to puppies three weeks ago and now won’t be around to take care for them.

“The number zero on how many times this dog has bit anybody and we have a dead dog,” said Nala’s owner, who asked not to be identified.

Sunday night in their neighborhood on Fishers Mill Drive, police said a man walking with his wife felt threatened by Nala and killed her.

“My dog ran out, barked abruptly at him, and he pulled a knife and slit the dogs throat and left her die and continued walking down the neighborhood,” Nala’s owner said.

Johnson obtained the police report which said the neighbor told police "he held his hand out and told the dog to stop" around 7:30 p.m.

The man told police Nala had attacked him before.

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Henry County police said they will not file any charges against the man who killed Nala with a knife while she was not leashed.

“She shouldn’t have been out here, I get that, she wouldn’t have been out here if she didn’t have puppies in that garage,” said neighbor Tate Williams.

Williams lives across the street and said Nala was never aggressive.

“That dog is a beautiful dog man, you could have taken food out of her mouth,” Williams said.

Nala's owner said he left her in the garage with her puppies and the door cracked because no one has ever complained about her to him.

“If I ever thought she was going to bite, she would never have been able to get in the front yard. There's no justice for my dog,” Nala’s owner said.

The county has no record of any formal complaints against Nala.

The man who killed her didn't specify what he meant by a previous attack.

Cox Media Group