Berkeley Man Shot, Killed Family Member's Dog, Police Say

BERKELEY, NJ — A Berkeley man is accused of shooting and killing a family member's dog that he was watching, police said.

The investigation started on Oct. 3 when Berkeley police went to 4 Lyford Ct., where a woman told them that she had dropped her 1-year-old French bulldog Ruby at a family member's house to be watched by 56-year-old Jeffrey Lentz.

Later, Ruby's owners got a call that the dog had been injured and died, police said.

A veterinary exam found that Ruby had a gunshot wound to her face, and an X-ray showed a bullet lodged in the dog's jawbone, police said.

The dog was transported to the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostics Lab for a necropsy and Berkeley police launched an investigation into her death.

The month-long investigation concluded with the determination that Lentz unlawfully shot at Ruby, resulting in the dog's death, police said.

Lentz was charged with animal cruelty, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a large capacity magazine.

He was taken to Ocean County Jail on Nov. 3 pending court proceedings.