Opelousas man arrested for allegedly shooting his neighbor’s poodle

OPELUSAS, Louisiana (KLFY)– An Opelousas man is in prison for animal cruelty after allegedly shooting his neighbor’s dog. The dog miraculously survived but will spend the rest of his life with a bullet in his skull.

The owners of an eight-year-old poodle named Frank who survived the gunshot wound to the head said it was no accident.

“I can’t believe he did it. Honestly, it’s a miracle,” said Mia Stanford.

Stanford shared Frank with her ex-husband Ryan. They told News 10 last month that Frank was shot in Ryan’s home. He lost an eye but survived.

They suspected their neighbor, Christopher Nations, 35, shot Frank when animal control took Nations’ dogs away after his pack attacked Frank on Ryan’s property. Stanford said Nations’ anger has grown since then.

“Not only did this gentleman shoot Frank, but he also returned to Ryan’s parents’ house, threatened his parents and started threatening the rest of the neighborhood,” Stanford said.

After a months-long investigation into Frank’s shooting, Nations was arrested and charged with animal cruelty and two counts of resisting an officer with violence.

“The situation escalated, and sooner or later it was no longer going to be a dog. It was going to be a human, and we had to get this gentleman off the streets for a while and rehabilitate him,” Stanford added.

Frank is currently in rehabilitation himself. His father, a 17-year Marine veteran, is helping him adjust to his new life with one eye. Although helping Frank recover has been tough mentally and financially, his parents say they can breathe a sigh of relief now that the suspect has been arrested.

“Christopher, you messed with the wrong puppy. You messed with the wrong family. We love our dogs. We take them very seriously,” Stanford told News 10. “Frank is our child and justice will prevail. That’s it and I’m glad you’re off the streets terrorizing people and animals anymore.”

Stanford said Frank’s story shows the undying love between an animal and its owner.

“That’s what’s really on my mind right now: making sure justice is done to the fullest extent of the law,” Stanford said.

Nations is being held at the St. Landry Parish Jail. His bail has not yet been set.

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