Loose dog story in the Columbus Historic District has tragic ending

There was a four-legged culprit loose in the Columbus Historic District for the last few weeks.

And it was an interesting storyline.

The dog, like a thief in the night, would steal pillows, shoes and other items off people’s porches. There seemed to be a new report almost daily. The sucker could shred a pillow in a heartbeat. A yard sign didn’t stand a chance with this dog.

One neighbor even reported that the dog chewed the wood on their front porch.

Obviously, the dog was mischievous and, at times, up to no good.

It was a neighborhood saga that played out on various Facebook pages familiar to Historic District residents. I saw the dog a couple of times as I would walk my Chihuahua around the neighborhood.

He was quickly becoming a talked about Historic District resident.

In hindsight, it doesn’t appear anyone called Animal Care & Control to report the stray dog and his misdeeds. Instead people tried to befriend the animal, which by all counts was elusive around humans and not very trusting. (NOTE: One resident did say a call to Animal Care and Control was placed, but they were told the dog had to be in sight for them to respond.)

“I tried to get him yesterday but he was too quick,” one neighbor posted. “I hope he is getting food and water from someone and not just pillows!!!!!!”

Damn dog loved pillows.

One neighbor was actually making progress and had a plan if she could gain control of the dog.

“I was able to get within a few feet of him and he appeared very healthy, sweet and shy,” the woman posted. “ ... We were trying to coax him to come to us so we could take him to a humane shelter and find him a good home. I even spoke to several neighbors who would have adopted him themselves.”

One neighbor told me she fed the dog bacon on Wednesday night as the animal played with another neighborhood dog.

It was that kind of story. The biggest problem the Historic District had was a dog that stole and ate pillows.

Then, about 10 on Wednesday night, the story took a wicked turn. Someone decided to kill the dog.

It doesn’t appear they called Animal Control, which probably should have happened. Someone decided to be judge, jury and executioner.

Police investigated a report of shots fired. The dog was found dead down by the river. Animal Control officers retrieved the dog, a brown mixed-breed mutt that deserved a better fate, on Thursday morning.

I was down there when they pulled the dog up to the Chattahoochee Riverwalk. There was no obvious gunshot wound. But there was blood in one of the ears. The carcass was taken to a veterinarian to determine cause of death. As of late Friday afternoon, the cause had not been determined, according to Animal Care and Control.

Did someone shoot the dog? Who knows. But they definitely killed the old boy. The action sparked Facebook reaction late Wednesday night and into Thursday as word of the dog’s death spread. Many of the same people who followed dog’s antics are now angry.

They want to know who killed the dog and why.

And they have a point.

It’s serious. And it should be.

That dog did not deserve that fate.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Loose dog story in the Columbus Historic District has tragic ending."