WILLMAR -- A 57-year-old rural Willmar man made his first court appearance Monday on felony charges for allegedly threatening a man with a gun and shooting seven puppies on Saturday.
Terence Dale Schwartz faces charges of second-degree assault and animal cruelty in Kandiyohi County District Court.
Unconditional bail was set at $150,000 with conditional bail at $25,000. His next appearance is Nov. 9. According to the complaint, Kandiyohi County Sheriff's deputies were called around 6 p.m. Saturday to a home along 45th Street Northwest on a report of someone shooting dogs and waiving a gun around.
A man there reported that Schwartz had pointed the gun at him in a dispute over dogs. Schwartz denied pointing the gun at the man and said he got the pistol after the man hit him and also to shoot the dogs, which belonged to a renter. He allegedly said he wanted the dogs gone and when they came back to the place, he shot them. A total of nine puppies were involved, with five found dead at the scene and two taken to a veterinary clinic by their owner, but dying later.
Officers located the gun, a .22-caliber revolver, inside the residence.
