East Texas animal control officer shoots his own dog

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. 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 loose 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.

In a release from the the SPCA, “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.”

A necropsy performed on the dog showed that it was shot on its side, there multiple pellets cause the dog to slowly bleed to death.

SPCA of Texas Chief Investigator, ACI Unit, Courtney Burns said, “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. “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 booked at the Van Zandt county Jail on Thursday on a bond totaling $50,000 and was released the same day.