A Florida dog shot and left for dead has found a forever home. A woman named Kathy Dole has officially adopted the 1 ½-year-old Great Pyrenees named Curtis.
Kayakers find dog shot in Florida canal
Curtis’ story starts in a canal in St. Lucie County, where someone abandoned him. Sadly, the canal on Taylor Dairy Road is “a known animal dumping area,” according to WPTV.
Kayakers found the pup with a gunshot wound to the head. Donna Jones called 911. When an animal control officer arrived, they climbed into the kayak with Jones’ husband. That way, they were able to reach Curtis in the canal.
Following Curtis’ rescue, the dog had a visit with the vet. X-rays revealed that Curtis had bullet fragments in his face. He also had water in his lungs as a result of being dumped in the canal.
“It was determined the gunshot was at least two days old so he may have been in the water for at least 48 hours,” Maria Valencia of animal control told the news outlet.
Dog parent tried to surrender dog before shooting
Upon further investigation, the police found out that this tragedy was likely preventable.
Days prior to Curtis’ rescue, the dog’s previous pet parent made multiple calls to the county in an attempt to surrender the pup.
“He attacked my other dog and I ripped them apart and he kind of bit me a few times for getting in the middle,” the caller said. “I will just keep calling back until somebody answers.”
Allegedly, the caller told dispatch that if the dog was still there when her husband arrived, her husband would shoot the dog.
“I need him [the dog] gone like as soon as possible, preferably within the next hour or so,” the caller said.
Unfortunately, the county said that surrenders must be scheduled and that they can’t just pick up animals at people’s homes.
Despite the phone call evidence, police have not made an arrest in this case. The caller is no longer responding to investigators or press requests.
“Unless we have a witness that comes forward and places the gun in a certain person’s hands, there’s not really much we can move forward with,” Valencia said. “We were all just really sad to hear there was that in humans.”
Anyone with information on this case should call Animal Safety, Services & Protection at 772-462-8120.
Rescue dog settling into new home
Thankfully, Curtis’ story does have a happy ending. H.A.L.O. No-Kill Rescue Shelter in Sebastian took over care for Curtis. Then, Dole adopted him a few weeks after the rescue. The dog mom and her new fur baby are bonding beautifully.
“He sleeps in my bed,” Dole told the news outlet.
Jacque Perrone of H.A.L.O. is choosing to focus on the silver linings in this case. “[Curtis] now has an amazing mom that adores him,” he said.
