Hero war dog shot dead by cyclist, owner devastated

POWELL, WYOMING — A bomb-sniffing K9 veteran who was a two-time Bronze star recipient was shot dead on Saturday by a bicyclist who thought he was a threat.

The bicyclist, who's a Powell native, he told police that Mike, the retired K9 veteran had attempted to attack him. According to a reports, the man felt threatened and initially used his bicycle as a shield, before using his revolver on the dog.

His owner and war-time buddy retired Staff Sgt. Matt Bessler was devastated after learning of his dog and 'family member''s fate.

After retiring from the U.S. Army, Bessler adopted Mike. Here Mike changed roles, to aid his owner's post traumatic stress disorder as a service dog.

Bessler told the Billings Gazette that he doesn't believe the bicyclist's claim that Mike attacked him. 'He has his story. I know my dog, I have my story.' He said he hopes to find out what happened via 'civil means'

Research has shown that dogs can be lifesavers for those who suffered from PTSD, especially for veterans who returning from service overseas.

A GoFundMe page set up to give Mike a military funeral and burial has broken its target of $10,000 USD. According to the Daily Mail, extra donations will be given to a program that supports military veterans.

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