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It is not known how a new law related to animal cruelty known as Goddard’s law will affect this case.

Goddard's Law, or House Bill 60, was signed into state law in June 2016 making it a fifth-degree felony to knowingly cause serious physical harm to a companion animal. That includes depriving a pet of food, water or shelter, or inflicting long-term pain. Punishment could be six months to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Online court records through the Elyria Municipal Court does show Kilgore as being charged with the low-level felony.

Currier also said — depending on the new Goddard’s Law — the suspect may not be released immediately.

“He might not even have a bond, he’d probably have to see a judge,” he said.

Goddard’s Law, or House Bill 60, was signed into state law in June 2016 making it a fifth-degree felony to knowingly cause serious physical harm to a companion animal. That includes depriving a pet of food, water or shelter, or inflicting long-term pain. Punishment could be six months to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Galloway said she wasn’t that interested because the damage already had been done.

“No matter what happens to them it’s never bringing my little baby back,” she said choking back tears.

Michael Karst, an animal and dog law attorney, said it depends on certain circumstances if the suspect was legally justified in shooting the dog.

“Any time you’re trying to break up a dog fight, there’s always a risk that you’re going to get hurt or that somebody else is going to get hurt, but using deadly force or firing your weapon to save your animal probably isn’t the best idea,” Karst said.

Using a non-lethal weapon may have lessened the charges because lawyers also would look at the proportion of force used, he added.

Bruenor wrote:What's that old saying.. "Good fences make for good neighbors" ? Not sure what kind of fence they have if the dog can stick his head through it and attack an animal on the other side. Or a dog standing near near the fence so their tail is sticking through to the other side and can be pulled by a dog over there.

A 6-foot high wooden privacy fence that has small spaces between the fences that the dogs could touch each other separates the two homes.

A Lorain County grand jury decided an Elyria man who shot and killed a neighbor’s dog in January should not face felony charges.

Lorain County prosecutors presented the case against Timothy Kilgore, 28, to a county grand jury to consider — a fifth-degree felony charge of cruelty to animals was up for consideration as well as discharging a firearm in the city limits — and the grand jury returned a no bill, meaning no charges are forthcoming.

Kilgore’s attorney, Kenneth Lieux, said additional evidence — in the form of photographs, witness testimony and the veterinarian records for Kilgore’s two dogs — was presented to the prosecutor’s office and grand jury.

“We presented information that the neighbor’s dog had previously attacked the Kilgores’ dogs and lunged at their 2-year-old daughter,”