PEARL, Miss. (AP) - A candidate running for mayor of Pearl was arrested on charges stemming from the fatal shooting of his neighbor’s hunting dog, police said Thursday.
Mike Prestage, 51, was charged with animal cruelty, discharging a weapon within the city limits and malicious mischief after a neighbor, Josh Jordan, found his dog dead on the candidate’s property.
Pearl police Lt. Brian McGairty told The Clarion Ledger (https://on.thec-l.com/2oatr31) that Jordan had been looking for his dog since March 13. He called police over the weekend when he spotted his dog’s brindle-colored fur orange collar over Prestage’s fence after seeing buzzards circling overhead. McGairty said juveniles witnessed the shooting.
“What we understand is this was a recently purchased dog,” said McGairty, who knew of no prior disputes between the two men. “Mountain Curs are squirrel dogs. They’re playful animals.”
Prestage denied shooting the dog in a statement to WAPT-TV (https://bit.ly/2oaDDs4 ).
“The charges against me are totally false!” the statement said. “I have three dogs and two cats of my own and I would never do anything to harm someone’s pet.”
Prestage called the charges an attempt “to impact my campaign for mayor.”
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