A man in a passing car shot and killed a pet dog here Thursday night as its owner was taking it for a walk. According to police investigations, one of two men in the car shot Shigeyasu Sakurai's 19-month-old Japanese miniature Shiba on a dark road between fields in northern Yamagata around 7:40 p.m.
Sakurai, 50, was about 7 meters from his dog and was not hurt. The dog was not wearing a leash.
The man in the passenger seat shot the animal once in the chest, according to police. The police are investigating the incident on suspicion of a violation of the Firearm and Sword Control Law as well as property damage.