Army Dog Killed in Powell – Owner Wants Military Funeral

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — An Army veteran is asking for a burial with military honors for his service dog that was shot and killed outside Powell.

Matthew Bessler's 10-year-old Belgian Malinois named Mike was shot and killed Saturday by a bicyclist who says the dog attacked him.

Mike served with Bessler in Iraq in the U.S. Army acting as a combat dog and in bomb detection. When the pair returned from their deployment, Bessler adopted Mike. The dog helped Bessler transition from combat to normal life as her suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bessler was out of town at the time of the shooting, but disputes the cyclist's account.

The 59-year-old Powell man who shot Mike has not been cited for any wrongdoing.