Texas couple says vandals murdered their dog over Clinton yard sign

A couple in Dallas, TX says that they've been subject to escalating acts of vandalism since they put up a sign supporting Hillary Clinton for president in their yard, but now someone has poisoned and killed their beloved dog, Abby.

KXAN News spoke to Matt and Beth Steadman, whose Clinton yard signs were stolen one after the other. The thefts seemed innocuous enough at first, said Matt Steadman, but the couple never dreamed that someone would harm their pet.

First, the yard signs began to disappear, which the Steadmans took in stride, simply putting out another. Then, someone vandalized their SUV beyond repair by pouring bleach into the gas tank.

On Sunday, they woke up to discover the yard sign gone and a "Hillary for Prison" flyer under the doormat. Beth went out, but Matt noticed that Abby -- a 4-year-old shepherd mix who the Steadmans adopted as a puppy -- was acting strange.

“She started tremoring and she started shaking," Matt Steadman said. "I called Beth around 4 and said, 'I think somethings wrong with Abby.'”

They rushed the dog to the vet, who struggled in vain to save her life. Days later, Abby died. A veterinary autopsy said she had been poisoned with some form of neurotoxin.

Steadman said that he believes the yard sign is what provoked the dog killer.

“No other reason I mean this is our front yard and we don’t have any enemies. We’re not the enemy type,” he said.

The local Clinton campaign office donated a new sign to the family, but Steadman said he's going to keep this one in the house.

“For now I’m just going to kind of let the waters settle," he said.

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