Dunbar man charged with shooting pet cat in his yard
A Dunbar man was arraigned on animal abuse charges Monday for allegedly shooting and killing his neighbor’s cat earlier this month.
Harold Earl Hair Jr., 63, of Connellsville Street told state police he has had “a plague of cats” urinating on his porch. He admitted to shooting the cat, named Alley, with a .22-caliber Magnum rifle Aug. 9, according to court documents.
Police said the owner of the cat, Richard Ainsley, was outside and heard a gunshot at about 12:30 p.m. and saw his cat “rolling around” in Hair’s yard. He went over to Hair’s property and reported he saw him holding a gun. Hair told Ainsley he would bury the cat, but instead threw it over a hillside.
Police said blood was in Hair’s yard. Hair told police he fired one shot, court documents said.
He is charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, which are felonies, and a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals. Hair was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Richard Kasunic II. Bail was set at $30,000 unsecured, meaning Hair did not have to post bond for release.