(La Porte County, IN) - A man shot two pet dogs with archery arrows while hunting deer from a tree stand outside La Porte.

 

Those are among the latest details obtained from the allegations filed against John Lowe, 58, of La Porte.

 

Lowe is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with two counts of cruelty to an animal and obstruction of justice, all Level 6 felonies.

 

His son, Hayden Lowe, 22, is charged with obstruction of justice.

 

According to court documents, the father and son on October 21 were hunting on private property with the permission of the landowner in the area of 500 West and 150 North.

 

At one point, police said another hunter heard the dogs making noise as they were moving through the woods then start yelping and whimpering loudly. It wasn’t long before the hunter spotted Lowe and his son, who was dragging one of the deceased animals.

 

When questioned by investigators, police said Lowe admitted to shooting both dogs, claiming they were barking and moving toward him aggressively.

 

However, police disputed his story based on the testimony of the hunter and property owner who gave no indications the dogs were aggressive. 

 

Police also said it appears Lowe was in an elevated position when he fired due to the angle at which the arrow entered the body of one of the dogs.

 

Police said Lowe denied his actions were out of concern the dogs might be scaring away any deer in the area.

 

Attached to the collar of one dog was a GPS tracking device, which appears to have been destroyed by the father and son to prevent the body of the animal from being located, police said.

 

Each count filed against the men carries a potential six month to 30 month sentence.