Couple contests vicious dog charges

A Havre couple is contesting vicious dog charges filed against them after a Havre police officer shot their dogs to death near his home.

Mark and Angie Campanella have pleaded not guilty to the two charges and are scheduled for trial Dec. 17 in Hill County Justice Court.

A Hill County Sheriff's Office report says the sheriff's office received a call from Havre police Capt. Mike Barthel at 3:44 p.m. on June 18 in which he said he had shot two dogs that had killed his daughters' rabbit and trapped one of his daughters in the Barthels' dog pen.

In a deposition with the Campanellas' defense att...