TAMPA, FLA. (WSVN) - A Tampa dog rescue is working to save the life of a 9-month-old puppy that was shot in the head at least two times and left for dead on the road.
The puppy was found by a good Samaritan on Saturday and brought to the Tampa District of the Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida, who then rushed the dog to an animal hospital.
Rescue personnel said when the dog was brought in, the “very thin” pup had shrapnel in his neck and was suffering from a broken jaw and broken canines.
The pup, who has since been named Dexter, is being fed through a feeding tube and treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
“He has been a pretty good fighter,” Dr. Nancy Pesses told Fox 13. “I have seen a lot of other dogs go through things and some are not as resilient as he seems to be.”
Doctors said Dexter has difficulty breathing due to the bullet hole in his snout and may need months of rehabilitation before the dog rescue can find him a home.
“You know, it is inexcusable to do that to a dog who can’t defend himself,” said Sooze Woolley, a rescuer with the organization.
Authorities have not yet found the person who shot and abandoned the dog. The Pet Resource Center of Hillsborough County tells Fox 13 it is investigating and plans to turn over its findings to the State Attorney’s Office.
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