A reward fund has grown to $15-hundred dollars for information leading to the arrest of a suspect who killed a ranch dog near Buellton.
An 18 month old Anatolian livestock guardian dog named "Stocks" was found dead from a single gunshot last month on a rural ranch off Santa Rosa Road.
"It's a heinous act. you wonder why someone would do something like that? " said Chris Beckert, the dogs owner. His wife Kia, said, "Stocks got shot between midnight and three am . There should not have been someone down there on our property in the dark. They shot him on our property."
The year and a half old dog was killed near a horse corral on a 20 acre ranch. The access is a dirt road.
"Just about all of our neighbors have called up absolutely horrified, " said Beckert. He has a $500 dollar reward and that's been increased by another $1000 from the Animal Rescue Team in the Santa Ynez Valley. Founder Julia Di Sieno said, "We all are dog owners and there's a little girl up here, an 11 year old that has lost her beloved pet and this has got to be addressed and this person needs to be prosecuted. "

Senior Reporter John Palminteri has been to the ranch and has our report.