Officials are searching for the person who shot a dog multiple times in West Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood.
An ACCT Philly officer responded to the 1200 block of South 54th Street Monday night for reports of a dog being struck by a car. The officer found the injured dog who was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital where they discovered she was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators with the Pennsylvania SPCA’s Animal Law Enforcement Team believe the dog was initially shot in the street and crawled to the porch of a nearby home. The dog was then found on the front steps of the home by a Good Samaritan.
The dog, who was named Alexia, suffered injuries to her muzzle and shoulder areas as well as her leg. She was treated at Philadelphia Animal Specialty and Emergency Care (PASE) overnight before being taken to the PSPCA’s Philadelphia headquarters where she’ll undergo surgery to amputate her leg.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
Anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of the person responsible for the shooting should call the PSPCA’s Animal Law Enforcement team’s cruelty hotline immediately at 866-601-7722 or email them at cruelty@pspca.org. Tips can be left anonymously.
“This act of cruelty is especially heartbreaking not only for its nature, but because of this brave animal’s fight to survive,” Julie Klim, CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA, said. “She was left in the street to die, but was able to drag herself up the steps next to the door of a Good Samaritan and in her own way, ask for help. We do not know what would possess an individual to commit such a horrible act, but we will do our very best to find out. We are pleading with anyone who has information to please contact the PSPCA.”
