Woman who shot dog gets jail, ordered to pay for surgeries
Musser shot her own dog in Sept. while intoxicated.
An Ohio woman RAVENNA — who shot her 16-month-old American bulldog has been sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to repay an animal shelter for the dog’s surgeries.
Annette Musser, 38, of Shalersville, was fined $300 in addition to the $3,216.08 in restitution to the Portage Animal Protective League for Gemma the bulldog’s surgeries during her sentencing Monday in Portage County Common Pleas Court. She will serve community control once she is released from the Portage County Jail.
Musser is accused of shooting Gemma while she was intoxicated on Sept. 16. She pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals, a fifth-degree felony, in December.
She is also banned from owning animals for the next five years, and as a convicted felon under Ohio law is not allowed to possess a firearm.
“I own dogs myself,” said Portage Common Pleas Judge Laurie Pittman during Musser’s sentencing. “I can’t imagine anyone doing this.”
Pittman added it was “beyond comprehension” that someone would have shot her own dog.
Musser’s attorney, Patricia J. Smith, told Pittman that Musser had brought photo albums of Gemma to Smith’s law office. Musser loved Gemma, Smith said.
Smith said Gemma had been aggressive for some time, though Smith noted that did not excuse Musser’s actions.
“I would like to say I’m sorry,” Musser said. “I miss her everyday. I’m sorry I can’t take it back.”
Gemma was taken by the Animal Protective League after the incident in September and given multiple surgeries after she was shot in the shoulder.
Chalan Lowry, executive director of the Portage Animal Protective League, said in an email that Gemma is still at the shelter. Gemma was adopted, but came back to the shelter after she didn’t do as well as expected with another dog in the home, Lowry said.