A New Jersey family’s adorable Alaskan shepherd was fatally shot by a hunter who mistook it for a coyote, a report said.

The 1-year-old dog, Tonka, was out for a walk in the back yard with his owner when he suddenly noticed a deer and bolted in its direction, according to People magazine.

Moments after he took off, Tonka’s owner said she heard a bang followed by a whimper and immediately “knew something was wrong.”

The owner, Elizabeth Mongno, and her husband desperately searched for the animal before finding him struck by a crossbow bolt and lying in a pool of blood.

Mongno was stunned to find her beloved dog shot dead.

“It’s something I could never imagine happening,” she told People.

“If you can’t tell the difference between a giant dog with two collars and a coyote, you shouldn’t be hunting with a crossbow.”

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said the hunter will face charges and possibly lose his license.