RABUN — A Rabun family is devastated after a deputy opened fire on their dog, Belle.

The sheriff’s office claims the officer was “forced” to shoot the dog after she ran at him. The family says this is a lie.

The dog was toothless, old, and can hardly move. Photo via WPMI Local 15 News

It turns out that Belle is actually 16-yrs-old, with no teeth, and can hardly move, according to Angel Fretwell.

The question becomes: in what world is someone “forced” to shoot a disabled animal that has no teeth? Was the cop afraid to be gummed to death?

“She’s gentle, she has a caring soul, she wouldn’t hurt anything and she never has, we’ve never had this problem ever,” Fretwell told WPMI News.

“Somebody entered her home unannounced, I think she was just truly shocked, she didn’t know what to do,” Fretwell said. “I just think that maybe if they would have announced themselves or gave some kind of warning, I think it would’ve helped this situation a lot.”

Related: Every 98 Minutes, a Dog is Shot by Law Enforcement

The deputies claim that they were searching for Fretwell’s brother, who was not home when the dog was shot.

Making matters worse, deputies didn’t allow the family to go near their gunned down pet for at least an hour.

Belle was eventually rushed to the Bay Minette Animal Clinic for surgery for a bullet that entered her shoulder. If Belle survives she will have to be amputated, spending the rest of her life without a leg.