A Marne man was cited this (Monday) morning for Unlawful Use of a Firearm, in the shooting of a a Chocolate Labrador. According to Cass County Deputy Corey Larsen, the dog,a  family pet, was loose and entered the mans’ property when it was shot. The incident occurred at around 10-a.m. near a residence on Washington Street in Marne.

Dan Ernat, who lives in the Quad Cities, told KJAN News the dog was his 23-year old daughter Stacie’s beloved pet. The woman lives in Denver, CO.,  and had stopped by her friend’s house in Atlantic. Together, he says they went to another friend’s house in Marne before Stacie was to continue on to visit her parents in the Quad Cities.

Ernat said his daughter was playing a game of  “fetch” with the dog, when it ran onto property owned by Collins C. Cutler at 305 Washington Street,  of Marne. Ernat says according to his daughter, Cutler came out the back door of his home and shot the dog with a shotgun, about 40-feet away, in full view of other individuals.

A call to Collins’ home by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson went unanswered at mid-day, Monday.