A Burgaw man filed a lawsuit against the Pender County Sheriff s Office after one of their deputies killed his dog.
A Pender deputy fatally shot Stanley Benson s dog, Astro, while assisting in a wellness check at his home on Aug. 15.
Benson is a retired veteran who used his dog as an emotional support animal and suffered severe distress when he watched his dog die in his front yard, according to the lawsuit.
Benson rescued the 5-year-old Dutch Shepherd mix, which are known to be very protective by nature, according to Benson. I worked with him quite a bit to be the protector of my house and be my companion that I could lean on, Benson said.