By Alex Shabad

WZZM13

HUDSONVILLE, MICH. -- A Hudsonville woman is in trouble with the law after her dog was shot and killed by her neighbor.

The dog's owner is charged with a misdemeanor for letting the dog run loose on the neighbor's property last month. Investigators say it appears the German shepherd had threatened the neighbor.

On Dec. 31, one family's pet became a neighbor's perceived threat. A photo shows the German Shepherd laying lifeless on the neighbor's lawn.

"The neighbor who shot the dog is actually the caller to 911," said Capt. Mark Bennett with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department.

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In an interview last week, the dog's owner, Linda Holmes, took some responsibility. Her 6-year-old German shepherd, Sawyer, ran loose into the neighbor's yard.

"I'm at fault for letting Sawyer go over there," she previously told WZZM 13.

Now, prosecutors charged Holmes with a crime. A message left for Holmes was not returned.

"The charges in this case are a misdemeanor, 90-day, allowing a dog to run at large charge," Bennett said.

Investigators say several factors were considered, including a pattern of behavior. Authorities received seven dog complaints against Holmes last year, Bennett said.

"The dog owner had been warned by our department and animal control to keep her dog contained," Bennett said.

The neighbor told police the dog was chasing him and that he'd been bitten by it before.

Authorities determined he will not face charges.

"If the threat is present, to yourself or other livestock, there is a permissible action you can take," Bennett said.

"He could have been an annoying dog and he loved to bark, but he's never ever been aggressive," Holmes previously told WZZM 13.

"At the end of the day, the pet owner is responsible for keeping the pet contained," Bennett said.

Holmes was not arrested. Off-camera, the neighbor told WZZM the charge against the dog's owner was the right thing to do because she's been uncooperative in the past.