I had a similar encounter this fall. I was hunting public land and more than a mile from any house. I was sitting comfortably just soaking in all the great wilderness around me. Then it was interrupted by the sound of a dog barking. The barking continued to get louder and lounder, as the dog got closer and closer. Finally a young doe appeared in front of me, mouth gaping and sucking air, she looked as if she was about to pass out. She stopped for a moment, looked back, and took off in a slow, worn out run. I quickly got ready and prepared for a shot on a possibly trailing buck (or dog). About 15-20 seconds a dog apeared on the same exact trail as the doe. I came to full draw and noticed a collar around the dog's neck. I let down my bow and watched the dog carry on. I am not sure if he ever caught up with the deer or not, but it sure did make the rest of the evening's hunt a wash. I believe if that dog would have been a stray, I would have let an arrow fly. I know the dog was a long way from home, and probably should have been disciplined or shot, but I just couldn't bring myself to shoot a pet. So, being put in that situation, I know what I would do. I would shoot a stray and let the pet go. If I knew the owner of the pet, I would not hesitate to let them know about the situation. Then, if it happened again, I would would probably change my mind on shooting the pet. My 2 cents.