A chihuahua puppy was found ‘screaming’ in the street with an arrow through her neck, but thanks to incredible veterinary technicians, she survived emergency surgery and her ‘sweet’ personality is shining through.
Stray dogs arrive at animal shelters with a variety of injuries, but this puppy will live with rescuers forever.
On Monday, a four-month-old female chihuahua was discovered shot through the neck with an arrow in Southern California.
Authorities said a woman called 911 after discovering the injured dog “screaming” in a neighborhood near the city of Desert Hot Springs.
The injured pup was recovered by a sheriff’s deputy and handed over to an animal services officer, who “held the dog and comforted it” on the way to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.
The arrow did not strike the puppy’s vital arteries, so it was expected to survive.
Ivan Herrera, a registered veterinary technician, sedated the dog and took X-rays before safely removing the arrow.
Erin Gettis, director of animal services, stated: “It’s disgusting that someone would purposefully shoot this poor pup with an arrow.
“We are shocked, and we hope someone can help us figure out who did this.”
Emily Ellison, a veterinary technician, assisted Herrera with the dog’s treatment and recovery.
She stated: “Ivan did an incredible job in saving this dog’s life. Despite what happened, it’s amazing to see her affection.
“She is a wonderful puppy. I can’t fathom why anyone would do such a horrible thing to such a helpless creature. It’s extremely sick.”
Marty, a golden retriever, is another miracle dog who survived major surgery.
Jane Gallacher, his owner, assumed he’d been eating too much food and began limiting his treats.
However, vets discovered a football-sized mass on the 11-year-old dog’s spleen, indicating that something was seriously wrong with him.
Marty was rushed to Veterinary Specialists Scotland (VSS) in West Lothian for an emergency operation to remove the 20cm tumor.
Fortunately, the senior dog survived and demonstrated to everyone that he wasn’t so greedy after all.