Family's heartache after neighbor 'shoots dead their two-year-old Labrador after pet ran into his yard'

FLORIDA -- A family has claimed their neighbor 'senselessly' shot dead their dog after the pet escaped and ran into the man's yard.

Bryar the Labrador, who was two years old, was found with gunshot wounds at the edge of the Evans' yard on New Year's Eve in Orange County, Florida.

The dog had escaped from the family's yard when the father, Brock Evans, went to close the gate.

The dog ran onto the neighbor's property, who then came over to complain because his own dog was in heat.

Photo showing Bryar the Lab when he was a puppy

As Mr Evans went to retrieve his dog, he heard gunshots ring out. He asked his neighbor, who has not been identified, if he had shot his dog which the man denied.

The father found Bryar, struggling to breathe and lying at the edge of the garden with holes riddling his body. 

Brock Evans told clickorlando that his young son and daughter were 'devastated' following the death of their beloved dog, who had been a Christmas present two years ago. 

The Orange County sheriff's department was reportedly treating the incident as animal cruelty.

Daily Mail Online was awaiting a response from the sheriff's department on Thursday. 

According to the station, the neighbor would not admit to shooting the dog but did not deny his son may have had something to do with the animal's death. 

Mr Evans and his wife Sara had tried to get a restraining order against the neighbor as they were worried the situation would escalate.

(Daily Mail - Jan 8, 2015)