Cobb County man charged after shooting dog in head at local park

Cobb County man charged after shooting dog in head

A Cobb County man faces felony charges after investigators say he shot his dog in the head and abandoned him at a local park last month.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A Cobb County man faces felony charges after investigators say he shot his dog in the head and abandoned him at a local park last month.

What we know:

Dauson Womack, 31, was booked into the Cobb County jail Friday on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. According to police, Womack took his dog and a gun into the woods at Lost Mountain Park on Dec. 2 and shot the animal before leaving the scene.

A park visitor discovered the dog a short time later.

"One of the visitors to the park had actually pulled in next to a dumpster, and the dog walked over to her," said Stephen Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services.

The dog survived the initial shooting, but Hammond said the injuries were so severe that the animal had to be euthanized.

Investigators tracked Womack down by contacting area veterinarians. They eventually located a clinic 9 miles away that had seen the dog just days before the shooting. Hammond said the vet had recommended euthanasia during that visit.

"There was a recommendation to euthanize it, but the owner elected not to euthanize it at that point. So it appears that maybe he just took it into his own hands," Hammond said.

What they're saying:

Hammond noted that while the owner may have been attempting to end the dog's life, the execution was far from compassionate.

"There are better options than to take your dog to a park and shoot it," Hammond said. "Certainly, in this case, it wasn't humane, because the dog didn't die by the gunshot wound, although it did leave it struggling for life."

Hammond urged pet owners facing difficult medical decisions to seek help rather than resorting to violence, noting that Cobb County Animal Services can provide referrals for affordable care.

"There's resources available, and there are other places, lower cost, that we can refer people to, that will help in those cases," Hammond said.