My Puppy Was Shot! Please Help Me Save Him!

Tuesday Night, one of the worst things imaginable happened to my 11-month old puppy, Shadow. He was shot by a man, cruel enough to shoot a harmless dog for being excited to see him.

Shadow was shot in his radius bone, located in his front leg, from near point-blank range, and it was shattered. The surgeon is unsure if he will be able to rebuild and save Shadow’s leg, but we remain hopeful. We’re doing everything we possibly can for him, just as we have always done for him, and any of our three dogs that make our family whole. However, we’re struggling to pay for this expensive procedure. Being 5-months pregnant, my boyfriend Josh and I are trying desperately to balance saving Shadow, and affording everything that comes along with welcoming a newborn baby. We’ve applied for multiple lines of credit and have sought after bank loans. We’ve tried nearly everything. This is our last hope.

The incident on Tuesday Night should have never happened. A local older couple was walking past my house with their dog. Naturally, as dogs tend to do, they got excited to see people and the other dog, and ran up to say “hello.” While I understand there is a stigma surrounding the Pit Bull breed, my dogs are nothing but loving, affectionate, and for a lack of a better term, big babies. (Most people who truly know this breed will agree) So, when my older dog, Bandit, went to greet them, I knew that it was my responsibility to explain “he’s just very excited” and to not be alarmed. Unfortunately, despite it being clear that Bandit was not a threat, and only wanted to say hello the way dogs typically do - by sniffing and licking them, mixed with excitable barks - the man was already reaching for his gun.

This is the part I replay, over and over again in my head. As I ran over frantically, telling this man everything is OK, Shadow – as he loves to do - follows behind me. As I begin yelling at the man that everything is OK, Shadow, tail wagging, joins Bandit in sniffing and licking what he probably thought was a new friend. Again, understanding the stigma around his breed, I start leaning to pick him up. At the same time, this cruel, and utterly sick individual shoots Shadow in his leg.

As I replay this disgusting act in my head, I have many questions. Why was he so quick to pull the trigger? Where was he actually aiming? Did this startle my baby, or cause stress to them in any way? But the biggest question I continue to ask is, Will Shadow be able to live the long, happy and healthy life he deserves?

Shadow has such a sweet soul. He loves his momma just as much as she loves him. He enjoys playing ball with his siblings, curling up close to me at night, and giving out all the kisses you can take. I hope something this horrific doesn’t change that about him, whether that is with all four legs, or just three.

The surgery was Thursday night. We may or may not know what the long-term prognosis is for awhile. Even if the surgery is a success, the risk for infection remains high, keeping his leg in danger longer. The vet will be monitoring Shadow’s condition over the next few days and are keeping him until we can come up with the rest of the payment. The longer he stays, the longer this will ultimately cost. The current cost is $8,000 but could climb to nearly $10,000 depending on the surgery’s success. Like a lot of people, we don’t like asking for help, and we work for everything we get in this life. But for Shadow, he’s worth doing anything we can, and we hope you feel the same.

Thank you,

Kennedi and Josh