Police: Drunk man shoots, kills dog after arguing with wife

CLEARWATER — Police say a drunk man fatally shot his dog Tuesday night and tried to bury it in the back yard before passing out.

About 6:20 p.m., police went to 2483 Whitman St. after a neighbor reported hearing gunshots. They found Yuriy Solovyev, 46, lying down in the yard with a dead 9-year-old chow nearby.

Officers learned that Solovyev was arguing with his wife earlier in the evening. When she left the house, he started drinking until he was extremely intoxicated, police said.

Solovyev fired his gun, shooting his dog multiple times and killing it; one bullet bounced off Solovyev's fence and went through a neighbor's window, but no one was injured, police said.

Police said it appeared that Solovyev was burying his dead dog when he passed out.

He was taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation before being charged with felony animal cruelty and the improper discharge of a firearm, police said. (Click here to see his mugshot.)

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