Police say man killed dog mistaken for coyote

Palatine police say a man who used a deer carcass to lure coyotes into his backyard shot and killed a German shepherd mix named Willy.

Piotr Holy, of the 1100 block of South Brockway Street, has been charged with felony aggravated cruel treatment of an animal, obstructing a peace officer, reckless conduct and unlawful discharge of a firearm while hunting within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling without permission.

Holy, 40, is in police custody and scheduled to appear at a bond hearing Saturday morning at the Cook County courthouse in Maywood.

Palatine police said a 31-year-old woman called 911 about 1:45 a.m. Friday saying she believed her dog had been shot and that she was driving it to the animal hospital, according to a news release.

The woman was trying to leash her dog when it got away and wandered into a neighbor's yard, police said. While calling it back, she heard what sounded like a single gunshot.

She found the dog bleeding in the backyard of another neighbor's home on the 1100 block of South Smith Street. Officers looked at X-rays and confirmed Willy, who died during surgery, was shot with a small-caliber bullet.

Patrol officers who investigated the crime found blood and a deer carcass in Holy's backyard. The man at first denied shooting anything but then admitted he uses a deer carcass to attack coyotes and then shoot them, police said.

Holy also admitted shooting the dog, believing it was a coyote, police said. It was when he heard the dog cry out in pain that he doubted his target was a coyote, police said.

Officers said they confiscated two .22-caliber rifles from Holy's residence.