Pregnant black Lab shot for stealing hot dog

A Wasilla man shot and wounded a pregnant black Labrador dog at the Sheep Creek campground near Resolute Road for stealing hot dogs from the camper.Thirty-three-year old Alexander Reutov shot the dog with a 0.50 caliber handgun. According to state trooper Shayne Calt, the black lab took some hot dogs, but left Reutov’s  campsite when she was shooed away. The Wasilla man claimed that the dog turned to come back and that he then pulled the gun and shot in the direction of the black lab from 50 feet away. The pregnant dog was hit in the shoulder and limped to her close-by home on Resolute Road. She was transported to a veterinarian in Talkeetna and is expected to survive. The dog’s owner notified the troopers.

The shooting netted Reutov  a misdemeanor charge for misconduct involving weapons. Troopers charge that he fired a gun close to a road with reckless disregard for the risk of injuring others. He was also issued a citation for cruelty to animals. Both offenses can carry a punishment up to one year in jail.