Parker County man arrested after service dog found shot

A Parker County man was arrested and charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals after a witness reported the shooting of a service dog.

Parker County sheriff’s deputed arrived at a residence in the 6300 block of South Farm-to-Market Road 113 on March 5, and found the animal deceased with several gunshot wounds.

A witness reported observing a male passenger in a truck traveling down the driveway when the man shot the dog, which was running toward the truck, according to a press release from the sheriff’s department. The witness also reported that the man not only shot the dog from the cab of the truck, but after the truck stopped, he exited the truck and shot the dog several more times before re-entering the truck and leaving the scene.

The man was identified as Noel Britten Nolen, 41, of Parker County, who was apprehended and booked into the Parker County Jail Friday on the felony charge.

Sheriff’s deputies reported the dog, named Dandi, was a 2-year-old Doberman and Labrador mix-breed, and a registered service dog belonging to the occupant of the residence, who was disabled in a wheelchair. Witnesses observed Dandi was wearing her service dog harness at the time she was shot.

Due to her severe injuries, Dandi was humanely euthanized at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies transported the dog to a local veterinarian, who recovered numerous projectiles from the Dandi’s right ear, leg, ribs, shoulder, abdomen and spine.