Kern County Family Returns Home to Find Three Dogs Shot: Two were Dead
Upon returning to their home in Kern County after running errands, Rosa Fabian’s parents were shocked and horrified to find three of their six rescued dogs had been shot. Two Jack Russell Terriers, both six-months-old were dead. The one-year-old Jack Russell was injured and required veterinary care. He is still very traumatized and skittish.
Rosa said she could barely sleep for a week because of the grief. Her children are devastated.
The family reviewed the footage from the cameras in backyard, which is surrounded by six foot wooden fencing. They could see the dogs running around and barking. There was a shadow of a person looming over the yard, then shots and laughing. Rosa suspects that the neighbor’s son, whom she guesses is around 11 to 12-years-old, stood on a ladder to shoot the dogs.
Rosa asked CAPS for help. Her family called Kern County Animal Control. Animal control did x-rays of the deceased dogs, finding what they believe are BB gun pellets. But they did not do a necropsy to determine internal damage and to remove the pellets, which could have been matched to a gun. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, BB guns, especially high velocity ones, can kill. High velocity BB guns should not be used by a person under 16 years of age. Read the CPSC warning.
Animal control also claimed that they didn’t have enough evidence because the camera footage did not show the perpetrator. If that is what is needed to prosecute crimes, then most crimes would never get prosecuted
CAPS asked 23ABC in Bakersfield to cover the story about Rosa’s family’s dogs. It is one of three stories on animal cruelty CAPS has been working on with 23 ABC. The story, reported by Priscilla Lara, aired on April 19, 2024.
CAPS President Deborah Howard interviewed Rosa and others on April 25, 2024 for a short documentary about the high incidence of animal cruelty in Kern County and the failure of government agencies to investigate and prosecute. Our goal is to get state funding for a Kern County animal cruelty task force.
Children who injure and kill animals often go on to injure and kill human beings. That is why it is especially important that children be held accountable for crimes against animals and be educated about the sanctity of all lives.
