Police say the incident happened sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Feb. 25.
ALVARADO, Texas — At the Samek family home, playing with their dog is usually a normal part of the day.
“Sit… sit… sit…” Dalton Samek says as their dog Pistol excitedly taps a ball toward him.
Moments like that are part of everyday life for the family. Their pets aren’t just animals, they’re part of the family.
But recently, that family was shattered. The Sameks say their 4-year-old Basset Hound named Sheriff was shot and killed in February while staying at a relative’s home in Alvarado.
“He was the sweetest, kindest dog,” said Katherine Samek.
The dog was the same age as the couple’s young daughter.
“That was the purpose of why we got him,” Dalton said. “And now that was cut short.”
Alvarado Police said the shooting happened Feb. 25 while Sheriff and their other dog, Pistol, were at Katherine’s mother’s home. Police say the incident happened sometime between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Katherine Samek said Sheriff was shot three times.
“He was hit once in his back near his spine, and then once in his shoulder that went through his chest,” she said. “That one ultimately killed him, it went right through his heart.”
Police say Sheriff was shot at least three times with a high-powered air gun. The family believes the shooting was intentional.
“Somebody who did it either leaned over the fence or climbed up over the fence,” Dalton Samek said. “He was deliberately shot.”
The family said the SPCA of Texas is now assisting with the investigation and has helped increase the reward to $5,000 for information that leads to identifying the person responsible. For the Sameks, the loss is deeply personal.
“Just think if it was your animal that got taken away from you,” Dalton Samek said.
The family said they are determined to find answers, not just for their dog, but to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
“Just making sure that the person that did this isn’t out there to do it again,” Dalton Samek said.
For them, Sheriff wasn’t just a pet. He was a member of the family.