Animal control officer arrested for animal cruelty

WILLS POINT – A Wills Point animal control officer was arrested on Thursday after admitting to a Van Zandt County deputy of shooting his own dog, the SPCA of Texas said. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Goggans, with Wills Point Animal Control, was taken into custody and charged with cruelty and torture to a non-livestock animal.

Van Zandt County deputies reportedly told Goggans that he needed to keep his dog confined after separate calls of his dog running at large were reported on June 12 and June 13. A deputy warned Goggans that if the dog was not properly confined, a citation would be issued. “Goggans responded to the deputy’s warning by informing him of his intent to kill the dog. He contacted the deputy again to inform him that he had killed it and that the dog was in the front yard of his residence,” the release said.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office contacted the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) unit about the incident. An SPCA investigator said Goggans admitted to killing his dog with a shotgun used for bird or small game hunting.

During an necropsy performed on the dog, SPCA said the dog was shot on its side, where multiple pellets caused the animal to slowly bleed out internally.

“Texas law does not prohibit an individual from euthanizing their own animal; however, it must be done in a humane manner that prevents pain and suffering,” SPCA of Texas Chief Investigator, ACI Unit, Courtney Burns said. “Unfortunately, in this case, the evidence shows that the dog suffered greatly at the hands of his owner and without any justifiable reason.”

Goggans was charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animals and torture. He was booked at the Van Zandt county Jail on Thursday on a bond totaling $50,000 and was released the same day.