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A member of the Davie County Rescue Squad has been charged with cruelty to animals, accused of shooting a service dog while on a medical call in western Davie.

Logan C. Cartner, 27, of Greenfield Drive, Mocksville, was served with a criminal summons for misdemeanor cruelty to animals on Aug. 22, six days after the incident on Davie Academy Road. He is scheduled to face the charge Sept. 14 in Davie District Court.

Cartner, also an EMT with Davie EMS, was working with the rescue squad when he, along with EMS members, responded to the call.

Davie Sheriff J.D. Hartman said that there were no witnesses to the incident, and that Cartner said the dog became threatening. The summons was issued after as a result of the department’s investigation.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene on Aug. 16, and EMS and rescue squad members were still there.

The dog, a German Shepherd named “Sarge”, was owned by Peter Ressa, who said that Cartner initially petted the dog before shooting it a few moments later.

Ressa told WFMY News 2 that he has been a member of the rescue squad for 16 years and that members not only need more training, that it is illegal for first responders to carry weapons. Hartman said there is a state EMS administrative rule that applies to EMS workers, but not for rescue squad members or first responders. He added that it is an administrative rule and not a law.

Ressa said he and his medical service dog have been inseparable for more than five years. “I miss him every day.”