Case DetailsDog shot
Twentynine Palms, CA (US)Incident Date: Monday, Nov 5, 2007
County: San Bernardino
Local Map: available
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
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As soon as he sees a visitor, Courage�s ears perk up and his tail begins to wag, then he gets up to greet his new friend, eager for a pat on the head.
The young German shepherd�s brown eyes are bright and clear and friendly, offering no hint of the ordeal he�s been going through since Monday. You realize something�s wrong only when he moves toward you, hobbling on three legs, his right front leg swinging free because he can�t put any weight on it.
When a resident brought the injured dog, which she said she�d found wandering on Amboy Road, into Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter here, everyone thought he�d been hit by a car.
The 11/2-year-old dog, then nameless, was crying in pain, but despite his distress he sought comfort from shelter staff, wagging his tail and licking everyone�s hands instead of lashing out as injured animals tend to do.
His good-natured bravery resonated with shelter staff and they soon named him Courage.
�He pulls at your heart,� Windy Baker, the city�s animal control officer, said Friday as she and Shelter Technician Dina Soriano stroked Courage�s fur while he snuggled against their legs, soaking up the attention.
As they do with all injured animals, the staff immediately went into action, checking the dog to determine his injuries.
�You could see that he had an open fracture,� Baker said. The staff arranged to have the dog X-rayed by the veterinary staff aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.
When they sent the X-rays to High Desert Animal Hospital in Yucca Valley for review, they were shocked at the results. Courage hadn�t been hit by a car, he�d been shot.
�I was crying,� Baker said. �Once we saw that X-ray, it was just heartbreaking.�
�In the X-ray, you could see the metal fragments,� Shelter Attendant Dawn Wallace said.
Once they learned Courage�s condition, Baker, Soriano, Wallace and Animal Control Superintendent Rick Boyd knew they didn�t have many options.
Repairing Courage�s shattered shoulder would cost at least $5,000, which was out of the question. Amputating his leg would cost between $550 and $900, which isn�t in the shelter�s budget. Add on the cost of antibiotics and pain medication and they were looking at another $200.
Usually, animals with such injuries have to be euthanized, Baker said, but a dog like Courage inspires people to find a way.
High Desert Animal Hospital agreed to take payments for the surgery bill and provided Courage�s pain medication.
Rio Ranch Market donated food for the young dog, and shelter visitors who heard his story began opening their wallets. The first donation came from a couple who had come to adopt Max, another German shepherd at the shelter.
�They wrote a $100 check,� Wallace said. Dollar bills started accumulating in a donation box on the desk in the shelter lobby.
Courage is scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday or Tuesday, and he�s expected to be up and walking that day.
�The vet said because he is so young, he�ll adapt well� to only having three legs, Baker said.
He�ll spend about two weeks at a volunteer�s house while he recuperates, then he�ll be ready for adoption. Baker said potential adoptive families have already started lining up.
With his sweet temperament, shelter staff have no doubt that Courage will make a great pet for someone.
�He just wants to be loved,� Wallace said. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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