Man claims DA investigators killed his dog, urinated near fence

Saturday, July 14, 2018
Man furious after Merced Co DA investigators kill his dog and urinate near his fence
A Merced County man is furious after investigators with the District Attorney's Office shot and killed his beloved dog on his property and one then urinates near his fence.

MERCED COUNTY, California -- A California man is furious after investigators with the District Attorney's Office shot and killed his beloved dog on his property and one then urinated near his fence.

The bloodstains are gone, but 61-year-old George Aguaristi can't stop replaying that horrifying moment.

His property is filled with signs, warning visitors about his dog Samson.

But it wasn't enough, to save his pit bull from being shot and killed by those sworn to protect them.

"I went in shock; I was just like 'my son? What?' He said, 'Yeah, we had to put him down. He was aggressive.'"

The heartbreak happened back in May.

Aguaristi says he was home sleeping and woke up to find Samson missing.

He called a phone number left on his front door by the District Attorney.

The conversation put him in shock, but not as much as when he watched the surveillance video of what happened.

"They urinated on my fence, and it was insult to insult. I was heartbroken already, and I saw that it made it so angry that they could come kill my dog and just urinate. It just makes me very angry."

Aguaristi says the District Attorney's office never told him why they were there.

We called investigators, who say while the incident was regrettable, they were there legally, to serve an arrest warrant.

They wouldn't provide us with any more information.

Aguaristi says he's not satisfied with the District Attorney's lack of answers.

That's why he intends to sue the county, so they can begin to understand his pain.

"I loved him so much, and I want them to feel it, whether it's in their pocket, I want them to feel the hurt that I feel."

The District Attorney's Office told us a supervisor that day made several attempts to locate the homeowner, and that later over the phone, explained to him why they were there.

They also said the investigator who urinated near the fence is being handled internally.