Quiet Sask. town shocked after family dog ​​is shot dead in seemingly random attack

A quiet community north of Saskatoon is in turmoil after a family pet was shot and killed Friday night. The incident appears to be random and has shocked residents of the village of St. Louis.

On July 26 at approximately 9:00 p.m., Wakaw RCMP received a report of a dog shot in St. Louis. The dog was taken for veterinary care and later died.

St. Louis, a town south of Prince Albert known for its close-knit community and peaceful atmosphere, is grappling with a senseless act of violence. The shooting of a nine-year-old family dog ​​named Bailey has shattered the city’s sense of security.

“The neighbors were banging on the window saying ‘your dogs are shot, your dogs are shot,’ so I panicked, I called Chris, Bailey came running out with blood in her mouth. I put her against the wall and called 9/11,” Haley Pearce, the dog’s owner, told CTV News.

The incident has caused widespread concern among residents of the town, which has a population of only 415.

“It’s scary for the rest of us here, we all have dogs. Even if it was a targeted situation, you never know if you’re next,” said neighbor Somer Cottingham.

Mayor Mark Caron says this does not fit the character of the city.

“I’ve lived here for 17 years now. And I’ve been on the council for 12 years. In those 12 years, we’ve never heard anything like this,” Caron said.

The Pearces say their 14-year-old daughter Emma received threatening messages online before the shooting and that someone was seen near the dog shortly before the shooting, hiding its identity.

“I added one of my other friends, and we were joking around, and he said something about the joke, so I gave him a name, it was just one name. I didn’t want to go super far — one name. Next thing I know, he pulled my location out and sent it to me,” Emma Pearce said.

The RCMP could not confirm whether this was a suspect as part of their investigation, but they did confirm that the investigation is ongoing. The suspect and his motives are still unknown.

—With files from Drew Postey.