Salisbury Man Accused Of 'Malicious Killing' Of Neighbor's Dog

SALISBURY, MA — Three men were in court Thursday in connection with the death of a neighbor's dog who police say was shot in their yard and then strangled to death.

Jacob Dow, 28, was ordered to be held without bail for 120 days in a dangerousness hearing Thursday after being hit with several charges including maliciously killing a domestic animal, animal cruelty, gun charges, and misleading a police investigation.

His husband, Donald Dow, 29 of Salisbury, was charged with misleading a police investigation and released on a $1,500 cash bail. Donald's grandfather, George Dow, 77, of Seabrook, NH, was also charged with misleading a police investigation and ordered to turn over any more guns.

All three men pleaded not guilty.

Jacob was arrested Wednesday at his home on Beach Road after a weeklong investigation into the suspicious death of his neighbor's dog.

Emily Meattey, of Salisbury, claimed her dog Zoe had been missing after one of her children accidentally let the dogs out of the house. She says both her dogs ran into the Dow's yard and only one came back.

Jacob Dow told investigators he shot Meattey's 2-year-old Siberian Huskey because Zoe was killing his duck. Dow said when the dog didn't immediately die, he strangled the Huskey to "put it out of its misery." Prosecutors say Dow then attempted to bury the dog's body.

Meattey told police her family had been searching for the dog for more than five days because she claims the Dows denied killing the dog.

According to Massachusetts state law, a person may "kill a dog found out of the enclosure of its owner or keeper and not under his immediate care in the act of worrying, wounding or killing persons, livestock or fowls."

Meattey told WCVB she was standing in front of their home when she heard the gunshot, but couldn't see what happened. "It's not more or less that they shot her because that's very traumatic, but it's what they did after," Meattey told WCVB. "They didn't do the right steps."

"She didn't need to be strangled," WCVB reported Meattey saying. "I just hope that we get justice for Zoe and my family because it's been a very long week."

According to Jacob Dow's defense attorney Rick Foley, the police had been "repeatedly" called for complaints about the Meattey's dogs entering their yard.

Meattey told prosecutors she only heard one complaint about Zoe from the neighbor. "One other time and they threatened to shoot her," Meattey was reported telling WCVB. "Then she went back and they did."

A pre-trial hearing for Jacob Dow is scheduled for April 5.