Authorities in Blue Earth County say about two weeks before a dog was found fatally shot on the deck of a South Bend Township home, its owners found a threatening note on their property warning them to keep the dog from barking.

According to the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the 400 block of Neubert Lane just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday for a report of a dog found dead on the home’s deck.

When deputies arrived, authorities say they found a dead medium-sized, mixed-breed female dog that appeared to have been shot.

After speaking with neighbors, one person reported hearing two gunshots within the timeframe the dog died while they were outside.

In addition to the owners of the dog that was killed receiving a threatening note, the sheriff’s office says another dog owner in the area also received a similar note about keeping their dog from barking.

Preston Fleischer, in an interview outside his home on Wednesday, said his 8-year-old rescue dog Lily “was just a great dog.”

She “did nothing wrong,” Fleischer continued. “only barked when cats run through here, so it’s just sad, devastating really.”

Fleischer said his 10-year-old son was home when it happened.

“My kids were right in the living room, straight there,” he said, pointing to the glass door that leads to the porch where the dog was shot. “So, if they would have missed and hit them, like, I don’t know what I would do.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 507-304-4863 or send in a tip by CLICKING HERE.