The Sherrard man accused of shooting and injuring a neighbor’s dog with a pellet gun has waived his preliminary hearing. 56-year-old Michael Elsbury appeared in Mercer County Circuit Court with his attorney Tuesday morning. He faces a Class 4 felony of aggravated cruelty to animals. The count alleges he used a Daisy Pump 880 to fire at the dog earlier this month in the Fyre Lake area. Elsbury has pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is free on a $5,000 recognizance bond with a pre-trial conference set for June 8. As part of bond conditions, Elsbury cannot have contact with the neighbor or his family. As of Tuesday morning, a GoFundMe account set up for the dog’s medical bills had raised $2,595.
