Police probe pet dog shooting

A PET labrador is lucky to be alive after she was shot in the chest, neck and leg in a “builtup area” in the Northern Midlands.

Owner Anthea Chugg, of Longford, loaded Lottie into the car and rushed her to the vet on Tuesday night after her daughter Eve discovered the family pet at the front door bleeding.

“She was shot at least three times and is incredibly lucky to still be alive,” Ms Chugg posted on Facebook.

“There is a couple of really scary factors here. Firstly being that we live in a fairly built-up area with three kids often playing outside. Secondly, Lottie is the most friendly dog anyone could ever meet. Why shoot her? She is no threat to anything or anyone.”

Ms Chugg labelled the shooter a “scum of the earth mongrel”. “She’s a fighter and still here and I hope the rest of your days are as miserable as you are,” she said.

Police yesterday confirmed they were investigating the in- cident after a report had been received in relation to a dog being shot and injured in the area on Tuesday.

Longford Veterinary Practice co-owner Sam Morgan treated Lottie for close to six hours.

“We took some X-rays because she was in shock and having trouble breathing, that’s when we found the first two bullets, one in her chest and one in her neck” he said.

“After putting her on a general anaesthetic we discovered there was another bullet hole in her back leg.

“She’s a lucky dog, she had a collapsed lung, but it’s remarkable her injuries weren’t worse. Had the bullets gone a little further they could have caused paralysis.”

Dr Morgan said dog shootings were reasonably common, particularly in rural communities.

While Lottie’s condition remains “touch and go”, she returned home to her family on Wednesday.

Ms Chugg praised the “brilliant” work of Dr Morgan and his team.

“Our deepest thanks go to the new vets here at Longford who operated on Lottie during the night,” she said. “They have saved her life.”