Officers say they served a search warrant at the home of Terry Nixon after he denied knowledge of the shooting and wouldn't let officers in the home. Once inside, police say they found a 9 mm handgun used in the shooting.
Nixon owned the dog.
Officers say he became upset after the dog defecated inside the home, so he took his pet into the backyard and shot it at close range.
He then placed the dog in a trash can, police say.
A witness saw the shooting at the home on Ross Lane, according to police, and dialed 911.
A second witness had been at Nixon's home and found the dead dog. That witness took the dog's carcass to his own home and officers responded there to recover it.
Nixon now faces charges of aggravated animal abuse, unlawful use of a weapon, reckless endangering and disorderly conduct.
He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on Wednesday night.
(KPTV - July 4, 2013)
