WANCHESE — An Outer Banks woman is mourning the loss of her beloved dog after authorities charged a well-known charter boat captain with shooting and killing the animal earlier this month.
According to the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and animal control officers were called around 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 to a home in Wanchese after receiving a report of a missing dog. Following an investigation, officers determined the animal had been killed by gunfire.
Britton T. Shackelford, 57, of Wanchese — a longtime charter captain and operator of The Doghouse, a 61-foot vessel featured on National Geographic’s Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks — was charged with felony cruelty to animals and misdemeanor discharging a firearm within 300 yards of an occupied dwelling.
The Dare County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have worked alongside Animal Control and the local SPCA to investigate the shooting. The department has not released further details pending court proceedings.
Shackelford was booked into the Dare County Detention Center and later released on a $7,000 secured bond. Shackelford made his first appearance Thursday in Dare County District Court and is scheduled to appear again on December 18, according to the Dare County Sheriff’s Office.
Shackelford, a familiar figure in the Outer Banks charter fishing community, gained national attention for his appearances on Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, a reality series following commercial bluefin tuna fishermen that aired on the National Geographic Channel for several seasons.
Authorities have not released details about what led to the shooting, but the dog’s owner, Amy Dough, disputes Shackelford’s claim that the dog had attacked his livestock.
Dough said she has been devastated since learning the fate of her pet, a dog she lovingly called Honey.
“I was finally able to sleep a bit last night,” Dough said in her post to social media, “but my heart is still heavy. I can’t shake off the torment of Honey’s last thoughts and the pain she endured at the hands of someone so cruel.”
Dough described Honey as a loyal companion and member of the family — one deeply loved not just by her, but by Hudson, Honey’s canine sibling.
“Hudson is in shock, too,” Dough said. “He misses his sister, his loyal companion, and it’s heartbreaking to see him refusing to walk in our yard in the direction of the killer’s home. He stubbornly remains by her burial site, sniffing the ground where she lay and searching for her fading scent. Watching him suffer like this is tearing me apart all over again.”
Dough said she has received a flood of support from neighbors, animal advocates, and people across the Outer Banks who were moved by her story.
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has reached out with support, prayers, and comforting words,” she said. “It truly warms my heart to know that so many care so deeply in this time of grief.”
The case has since sparked outrage on social media, with hundreds of people sharing Dough’s plea for information and justice. Her post describing her dog’s death has been widely circulated in local animal welfare groups and Outer Banks community forums.
Dough has a gofundme page — see this link — that has raised more than $1,500 — money being raised to hire an animal rights attorney. Any funds left will be donated to a great rescue to help other dogs in need, the post said.
From the page — Justice for Honey.
OBX was my home!
I WAS HONEY, you see. Momma and Hudson were my life. I didn’t have an easy start, but momma adopted me and Hudson.
On Saturday 11/8/25, Hudson, being the smarter fur kid dug us out of momma’s fence. We went on an adventure. I’ve always been a scaredy-cat, but if Hudson said it was okay, then it’s okay. We ran, wind in our fur, and enjoyed our short outing. Momma noticed quickly and began looking for us. Momma heard some gunshots. I lay dying in a man’s yard. My bubba watched as I was killed. I bled out, and bubba Hudson ran home.
Momma eventually figured it out, and sure enough, the man whose yard I passed through shot me.
Momma got my body back. The man threw me in the woods, but on Sunday, he put my body in a wheelbarrow and left me at the road for momma to collect.
Momma is very sad. She and Hudson stand at my grave in tears.
Please share to help Amy Dough (momma) hire an animal rights attorney.
MOMMA, I AM SORRY FOR GOING ON AN ADVENTURE. Love always, Honey!
In the days since Honey’s death, Dough said she has been trying to find comfort in the community’s response — though she continues to struggle with grief.
“I was finally able to sleep a bit last night,” she repeated, “but my heart is still heavy.”
For now, she says she is focused on honoring Honey’s memory and making sure what happened is not forgotten.
“I know Honey’s gone, but I won’t stop fighting for her,” Dough said. “She didn’t deserve what happened. No animal does.”
For Dough, though, the focus remains personal — ensuring justice for the dog she says was more than just a pet.
“Hudson won’t leave her side,” she said. “He sits there, waiting. I sit beside him sometimes, just to let her know she’s still loved.”
Dough added that despite her heartbreak, she hopes Honey’s death will bring greater attention to animal welfare issues in coastal communities. As she continues to grieve, Dough said she draws strength from the people who have rallied behind her.
“The love and support have been overwhelming,” she said. “Honey’s story has touched so many hearts, and I believe that together, we can make sure her death was not in vain.”