You don’t expect your dog to get shot and killed when you go for a walk. But that’s what happened to Stouffville resident Shaun Melis. On Sunday. Feb. 18, he decided to take his two dogs, Damon, and Mya, for a walk near Musselman’s Lake. There is common area next to the water tower where many people go walk their dog although it is considered private property, Melis said.

On that day, Melis said his dogs tore off when they heard commotion and animal sounds in the distance. “My dogs were getting all excited by something in the air. I started hearing a weird sound,” he said.

Melis said he went chasing after his dogs and then heard shots. “I was in kind of shock and disbelief,” he said. “It was very surreal.”

When Melis reached his dogs, he said he encountered three hunters. According to Melis they said they thought it was a coyote running straight toward them.

Damon, an eight-year old Husky rescue dog, was shot and killed. Maya, shepherd lab mix had been hit multiple times by something like a pellet gun, Melis said.

The hunters left the property in short order saying they had permits and permission from the landowner, Melis said.

The vet told Melis the best recourse for Mya was to leave the pellets in her body.

“I don’t think this is regular occurrence,” Melis said. “Everybody who I talk who has dogs says, ‘that’s crazy.’”

Melis was stunned people would be hunting so close to the road and homes. He said the area is a common dog walking spot. “It was just half a kilometre in from Ninth Line.

York regional police said they are investigating the matter. The Ministiry of Natural Resources also said they are investigating the incident. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville said they are aware of the incident and they notified police who are investigating.