Angry man shoots dog | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

A man frustrated with his neighbour's noisy dog got a rifle and shot the animal.

Murray Christmas said he was driven to take up arms against his neighbour's pet because of its continual barking.

Christmas, 28, appeared in Wanganui District Court yesterday before Judge Michael Behrens, where he pleaded guilty and was convicted of discharging a firearm near a dwelling and cruelty/ill treatment of an animal.

The dog's owner had been living next door to Christmas in Castlecliff with her 40kg rottweiler for a month before he shot the dog.

At 9pm on October 22, 2011, Christmas was at home when he walked outside and the dog started barking at him.

He was frustrated with the amount of barking the dog had been doing and went back into his house, picked up a .22 calibre slug rifle, loaded it and went to the back of his property.

He fired a shot at the dog, which was sitting a short distance away on the porch, hitting the animal in the shoulder.

The slug carried on and lodged in the dog's chest.

The dog let out a yelp, alerting its owner, who had heard the report from the rifle and came out to see what the problem was. She found the dog bleeding and called police.

The dog survived but the slug is believed to be lodged in its lung, which may require surgery if the dog's health deteriorates.

Christmas later said he didn't want to harm the dog, but was frustrated and merely wanted to "hit it in the butt" so it would stop making so much noise.

The dog's owner is seeking reparation for the vet costs.

Christmas is due to reappear for sentence on March 28.