When one Scio man read about the killing of a Sweet Home girl’s dog in the newspaper, he decided to help get rid of the bad memory and gave her a new puppy.
Michelle Armstrong, 8, and her family went to Scio Friday afternoon to pick up the new registered yellow Labrador puppy from Jeff Stillman, who was selling a litter of the puppies.
Michelle is the daughter of Mike and Linda Armstrong.
After returning to Sweet Home, Michelle, her mother and employees happily played with the puppy at the 86 Station, owned and operated by her father.
Mr. Armstrong had planned to tell Michelle they were going to Scio for firewood after school Friday.
“Dad wanted it to be a surprise, but mom blew it,” Mrs. Armstrong said.
“She’s special,” Michelle said as the puppy bounced around. She’s a stinker too.”
Stillman called Mr. Armstrong Wednesday.
“His mother had read the paper first,” Mr. Armstrong said. “She showed him. He said there’s no way. She can have one for free.”
The new puppy, Michelle’s Christmas Alley, Alley for short, came with full papers from a litter of 12 puppies.
“I think it’s awesome,” Mrs. Armstrong said. “I didn’t realize there were people out there that could be this nice. The dog’s going to help us both.”
Michelle discovered her 8-month-old yellow Lab, Lady, had been killed the morning of Dec. 16.
She was “screaming at the top of her lungs, crying, screaming for me,” Mr. Armstrong said. “She cried all day long. I put her to bed. About 10:30, she was at my bed saying, ‘I can’t sleep. Can I come sleep with you.’”
Michelle had been sleeping with her parents all week.
Thursday night, Michelle was talking to her dad, saying she couldn’t get what happened to Lady out of her mind.
“Maybe tonight she’ll sleep with her (the puppy),” Mr. Armstrong said.
He recalled pulling up at Stillman’s home.
“Dogs everywhere,” Mr. Armstrong said. All of his dogs were friendly. They “just ran up yipping and licking.”
Michelle was amazed by all of the dogs.
“This is going to help tremendously,” Mr. Armstrong said.
That was all Stillman wanted to do.
“I just decided she needed a puppy,” Stillman said. “I thought maybe it would help. I just couldn’t believe someone could do that. I just asked the wife if I could give a puppy away. She said yes, so I did. I was just trying to ease her mind.”
Lady was stabbed and eviscerated sometime during the night on Dec. 15 or early Dec. 16. The dog lingered for sometime after the attack.
Police arrested two teenage neighbors, Levi Graven, 16, and Tommy Harrel, 16, both of 2573 Kalmia St., for killing the dog. Harrel was charged with aggravated first-degree animal abuse, second-degree theft and second-degree criminal mischief. Graven was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated first-degree animal abuse, curfew violation and minor in possession of tobacco.
Harrel allegedly stabbed the dog while Graven participated after Harrel had allegedly slashed the tires on his parents’ vehicles and stolen a video camera on Dec. 15. The camera was recovered.
A videotape was provided to police later by Graven’s mother, Gail Graven, Police Chief Bob Burford said. Police had served a search warrant at the Graven household, where Harrel was living as well, on Dec. 17.
Police had been taking the report from Harrel’s parents when the report on the dog was made.
The Armstrongs and neighbors attended a hearing Friday morning, but the hearing was postponed to Dec. 28 so defense attorneys could review the videotape, Mr. Armstrong said.