Four-year-old Hope loves to give kisses, loves attention and has an easy-going temperament.
So when the female dog was found tied to the front door of the Animal Rescue League of El Paso Thursday morning with a gunshot wound to her head, league members decided to collect reward money for information about the dog's abuser.
"I think whoever shot her left her for dead, and someone else found her and brought her to us," said Brandy Gardes, rehabilitation director for the league. "This is just sheer unadulterated abuse, which is why we're offering a reward for anyone who has information about Hope's abuse."
The dog, named Hope Springs Eternal by league members, survived with the help of Dr. Roger Freund, veterinarian at Coronado Animal Clinic.
"She's a great little dog," Freund said. "It was a very old wound that was several days old, but it wasn't life-threatening. This dog is going to be fine. You would never know that she had been shot."
The dog doesn't limp or show physical signs of abuse, but Gardes said the dog has emotional scars.
"Once she gets to know you, she'll follow you around, but don't wear a baseball hat around her," she said. "We know that whoever shot her wears baseball hats."
League employees want to find that person. They initially collected $500 in reward money, and it has since increased to about $1,000. "We're putting our money where our mouth is," Gardes said. "If we can find out who did this, then we will try to get the case prosecuted."
The classification of some forms of animal cruelty in Texas was changed from a misdemeanor to a felony on Sept. 1, 2001. Gardes, a federal prosecutor, helped draft the legislation authored by state Rep. Manny Najera, D-El Paso. The felony crime is punishable by up to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
No one in El Paso County has been indicted under the new law because there often aren't complaining witnesses or enough evidence to prosecute a case.
"This is not the first animal that we have found which has been shot," Gardes said. "We've had cats set on fire just to see what would happen."
Anyone with information about who shot Hope can call the Animal Rescue League at 877-3785. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top If you have information on this case, please contact:
Brandy Garnes
[email protected]
915-877-3785
References | - Mar 27, 2002 |
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