MI: Animal Control: Pit bull, shot in the leg, rescued on Saginaw's East Side

By Mark Tower
on November 02, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated November 02, 2014 at 8:10 AM

SAGINAW, MI — A skinny brown pit bull wagged his tail vigorously as Saginaw County Animal Control Officer Trish Barnes scratched its belly and interim Director Elaine Thompson offered up a few doggy treats.

It's hard to imagine that just a few hours ago the dog was wandering Saginaw's East Side in near-freezing temperatures as blood seeped from an apparent gunshot wound to its left leg.

Thompson said officers were called to Robinwood near Gallagher by a resident who saw the dog outside her home.

"A lady said she was afraid to let her dogs out because there was a pit bull in her front yard," Thompson said.

She said animal control officers picked up the dog and found it was bleeding from a small hole in its left hip, an apparent gunshot wound.

After taking the dog to Great Lakes Pet Emergencies for treatment, a veterinarian confirmed that the animal had been shot. After treatment, Thompson said it appears that the injury will not cause any permanent damage.

"The dog will be fine," she said.

Thompson said the projectile wasn't removed, meaning officers are not sure exactly what the dog was shot with. But she did say veterinarians reporting finding metal fragments consistent with a gunshot wound.

"It's not really causing him any pain at this time," she said.

Thompson said the dog is about a year old. She said they are giving the dog antibiotics and pain medication and expect it will recover fully.

The pit bull is not part of a pack of feral dogs that have been roaming southwestern Saginaw since early this summer, Thompson said.

"This dog is way too friendly for that," she said.

Barnes agreed, noting the dog's comfort with humans and generally sweet disposition.

Thompson said officers believe the dog belongs to someone, since they found it with a black nylon collar with a broken piece of a leash attached. But there were no tags on the collar the identify the owner, she said.

Thompson said animal control officers and Saginaw County sheriff's deputies are working together to investigate how the dog was injured, a possible case of animal cruelty. But there are few leads, she said.

Officers report that though the resident on Robinwood told animal control officers that the dog had been shot, she was not able to provide any further information on the incident.

Thompson said anyone with information or anyone who recognizes the dog is encouraged to call either Saginaw County Animal Control at 989-797-4500 or the Saginaw County Sheriff's office at 989-790-5456.





Animal Control: Pit bull, shot in the leg, rescued on Saginaw's East Side | MLive.com