Hunter shoots and skins ‘coyotes’ only to discover they were a family’s treasured German shepherds | US News
A man is facing charges after he killed and skinned what he thought were two coyotes – only to discover they were pets to a family of German shepherd dogs.
Michael Konschak, 61, of Carmel, New York, told a court in Danbury, Connecticut, that he was ashamed of what he did in November.
“Please know that I never intended to harm the victims’ pets that morning,” he said.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, police said Konschak killed the dogs with a crossbow on November 18 after they escaped from the Caviola family’s garden.
He was hunting deer nearby and said he killed what he thought were two coyotes – which is legal in Connecticut.
Erin Caviola said she and her family searched for their 10-year-old pet dogs – a male named Cimo and a female named Lieben – for weeks after they went missing.
It is believed a bear tore off part of the 6-foot fence surrounding her property, allowing the dogs to escape.
Ms Caviola said she did not know the fate of the dogs until almost a month after she discovered their photos had been shared with a taxonomist who was asked to preserve them.
Lieben and Cimo are both 10 years old. Photo: AP
Shane Caviola holds a photo of the family dogs outside the courthouse. Photo: AP
She said the family was heartbroken, adding: “We live with emotional pain thinking about what they felt in their final moments as they lay together dying.”
‘An accident’
She said the heads of the dogs had been removed and are still missing.
Brian Romano, Konschak’s attorney, said his client skinned what he thought were wolves for their skin and the dogs’ deaths were an accident.
Konschak was arrested in February on charges including tampering with evidence, tampering, obstructing law enforcement and hunting-related offenses.
Michael Konschak. Photo: AP
Animal rights advocates call for extra costs
Animal rights advocates, some of whom were in court to testify, have called for the animal abuse allegations to be added to the list.
Danbury State Attorney David Applegate said there could be more charges, told the court there was inconsistency in Konschak’s story and asked why he couldn’t see the animals were dogs before the skinning. they.
Konschak, a respiratory therapist and Air Force veteran, will reappear in court next month.
