Atlanta reporter Kaitlyn Pratt says the case began in a place meant to feel safe and ordinary: Lost Mountain Park in Cobb County. It’s the kind of park where people go for walks, bring their children and let dogs roam like it’s just another normal day.
But investigators told Pratt that a dog was taken there by his own owner, led into the woods and shot. Instead of dying quickly, the dog survived long enough to stagger back toward people.
That detail is what makes the story especially disturbing. Parks carry emotional meaning for dog lovers. They’re places where pets experience their “good life” moments. Pratt says this dog experienced the opposite.
Pratt reports the suspect is 31-year-old Dauson Womack, a Cobb County man now facing an animal cruelty charge. Cobb County Animal Services is leading the investigation.
Even the phrase “animal cruelty charge” can sound detached. But as Pratt lays out the timeline, the reality is hard to ignore.
What investigators say happened in the woods
Pratt reports investigators believe Womack brought his dog to Lost Mountain Park early last month. According to investigators, she says he led the dog into the woods and shot him, including a gunshot to the head.
Pratt says the dog was shot multiple times and left behind, while the owner reportedly left the park and abandoned the animal in the woods.
The story becomes even more heartbreaking from there. Pratt reports the dog did not die immediately.
Later that day, a woman discovered the dog still alive, badly injured and barely clinging to life. Despite his condition, the dog was able to walk far enough to reach someone for help.
Pratt notes the dog did not remain hidden in a remote area. He ended up near park visitors, meaning the act did not stay private. Families enjoying the park were confronted with the aftermath.
There is a particular cruelty in that, because strangers were forced to witness and respond to the suffering. Pratt’s reporting makes clear that the impact extended far beyond one person’s actions.
The dog survived the shots, but not the damage
Pratt includes details from Cobb County Animal Services about how the dog was found. She reports park visitors had stopped near a dumpster when the dog walked over to them.
That moment turns the case into something painfully vivid. A wounded dog doing what dogs instinctively do when they’re scared: moving toward people for help.
FOX 5 shared comments from Stephen Hammond, director of Cobb County Animal Services. Hammond said the injuries were not immediately fatal, but they were severe enough that euthanasia was required.
In other words, while the dog survived the shooting, the damage left no realistic chance for recovery. Pratt reports the dog was later euthanized due to the extent of his injuries.
The outcome is devastating either way. The dog did not die quickly, and he also did not survive. The prolonged suffering is what many people struggle to process, because it was entirely preventable.
The vet recommended euthanasia, and the owner refused
Pratt reports investigators contacted multiple veterinarians across Cobb County while tracing the case. Eventually, they located a clinic familiar with the dog.
That discovery suggests the situation was not sudden. Pratt reports that days before the shooting, Womack had taken the dog to a veterinarian.
According to Pratt, the veterinarian recommended euthanasia. While it’s unclear what medical condition led to that recommendation, investigators learned the owner declined.
Pratt says investigators believe Womack later decided to take matters into his own hands.
The contrast is stark. There is a significant difference between making a difficult decision at a veterinary clinic and bringing a dog to a public park to shoot him.
If money played a role, it does not excuse what Pratt describes. It only highlights how some people treat pets as disposable problems instead of lives deserving responsible care.
A broader issue in Georgia
Pratt places the case within a wider context, noting that Georgia’s animal cruelty numbers are troubling. She cites FBI data showing the state ranked fourth nationwide for reported animal abuse offenses, with nearly 1,200 cases recorded in a single recent year.
While alarming, Pratt notes that reporting itself matters. High numbers can also indicate that people are speaking up rather than remaining silent.
She credits the woman who found the dog and contacted authorities, emphasizing how crucial reporting is in cases like this. Many investigations fail simply because no one steps forward.
Pratt adds that animal services wants the public to know there are humane options available, including lower-cost resources for euthanasia when necessary.
Hammond echoed that message in FOX 5’s reporting, stressing there are far better options than taking a dog to a park and shooting it. He emphasized the act was not humane, especially because the dog did not die immediately.
The case serves as a warning. Violence is not a shortcut, and when it fails, animals suffer longer.
Pratt reports Womack now faces an aggravated animal cruelty charge. The legal process will determine the outcome, but the moral reality is already clear: a family park should never become a place for violence, and a dog’s final moments should not depend on whether a stranger happens to stop and help.
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