Dog shot with hollow-point bullets, left for dead
Dunn, NC (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Oct 14, 2006
County: Harnett
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Abuser names unreleased
A Sampson County man is calling his dog a living miracle, after it survived being gunned down and left for dead. The 1-year-old border collie mix is clinging to life in a Dunn veterinary office after being shot more than five times.
"This is a miracle dog," he said choking back tears. "I thought he was dead."
Speck is a fun-loving dog that looks like an adult and still plays like a puppy. He is one of three border collies owned by Terry McLamb.
On Oct 14, Speck was running around a neighbor's yard while Mr. McLamb was cooking some dinner on the grill in the back yard of his home on Crystal Sand Road near Dunn.
Suddenly, shots rang out across the small country neighborhood of manufactured homes. Mr. McLamb called out for Speck to come, but there was no sign of him anywhere.
After finding the dog in a neighbor's yard, Mr. McLamb got straight to work trying to save its life. Blood poured out of the dog's open wounds, filling the rear compartment of McLamb's SUV as he drove the short distance back to his yard.
"I got the dog and took it to the house. I thought he was dead," he said. "His eyes were rolled back in his head."
His brother-in-law Dave, who is a vet, came to the house to help out. The two tried to stabilize Speck.
"We picked out a bullet and Dave said he wouldn't make it," Mr. McLamb said.
He cared for the dog feeding it sugar and water with a syringe and cleaning its wounds constantly. He didn't want to give up on his friend that easily.
"These dogs are my family. I've been nursing the dog and babying the dog," he said. "They emptied a .9 millimeter in him. Hollow point bullets went in him and just mushroomed."
But the resilient little dog clung tightly to life. Mr. McLamb was just going to let Speck die at home where he was comfortable, but after a few days realized the collie mix had a chance. He took him to the closest vet's office - Vets for Pets.
Speck's vet, Dr. Guy Beretich, said he sees wounded dogs all the time.
"It's my monthly dog shooting," he said. "It happens quite often."
Mr. McLamb said he knows of four dogs now that have been shot in his Crystal Sand neighborhood alone. Earlier this year, a neighbor shot another neighbor's teacup Chihuahua for doing its business in his yard.
Dr. Beretich said shooting a dog is always the wrong choice.
"It's always senseless; it's not accidental," he said. "There is no excuse to shoot a dog. It's just a moment of anger. It's probably the same reason why you shouldn't carry a gun around."
However, The neighbor who shot Speck may not face any trouble at all. According to Chief Tim Bass of the Sampson County Animal Control, it is not always illegal to shoot a dog in the county.
"Say your dog or my dog goes to your yard or makes you feel threatened, you have the right to protect yourself and your property," he said. "If a dog is just over there visiting or just walking through and not bothering you and you shoot it, you could get in a lot of trouble." Mr. McLamb said Speck was only passing through his neighbor's yard when he was shot. However, the neighbor, when confronted by Mr. McLamb, said the dog was "aggressively approaching."
Either way, Mr. McLamb said he is not going to let the issue die until Speck's shooter faces his actions.
"Animals have rights too," he said. "I'm in the meat packing business and I even know that."
He said he is going to press charges or take legal action against the man who fired the shots. He also is posting a sign at the end of his street - no dog killers allowed.
Dr. Beretich gives Speck about a 50 percent chance of survival. His shoulder is destroyed and bullet fragments are still lodged all over his body. He said it is amazing Speck survived the gunfire.
"He has about 10 bullet wounds, but we don't know what is entrance wounds and what is exit wounds," he said. "It's unusual. He is a tough dog."
Dr. Beretich's services do not come cheap. Fixing the dog and restoring his life is going to be costly for Mr. McLamb. Still, he knows he will do whatever he can for his speckled buddy.
"He told me it was going to be expensive, but we could all go to the moon if we had enough money," he said. "I raised that dog from a puppy. I held him in my hands and bathed him and doctored him and nursed him through some tough times not just to watch someone shoot him." References« NC State Animal Cruelty Map
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