While it’s hard to imagine someone shooting this dog twice, the good news is that dog and owner have been reunited. 

Yesterday, the sheriff’s department put out word that a a county employee had found a dog in the bushes by the Fernbridge gravel pit.

Covered in blood and ants, the dog was taken to animal control for treatment gunshot wounds to the neck and ribcage. It’s unknown if she’ll make a full recovery. 

Today, a followup from Sheriff Downey:  

On 08/11/11 at approximately 7:30 p.m. a man came to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in Eureka stating that he believed the dog that had been found shot in the Fernbridge area of Humboldt County was possibly his dog “Cindy”.

He said he had seen the media coverage and immediately felt that it could be his dog, who had escaped from his vehicle late Monday night.

At approximately 9:00 a.m. this morning the man came to the Sheriff’s Animal Shelter and positively identified the dog as his. It was a happy and tearful reunion, and Cindy was released to her owner so she could go home and continue her rehabilitation.

We are very grateful to the media for their coverage of investigation. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is still considering this an Animal Cruelty investigation.

The public is encouraged to contact Animal Control Officer Brewer with information regarding this case. 445-7251.

Cindy’s owner will be paying for her veterinary bills. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Animal
Shelter would like to thank those of you who made donations to the Friends For Life emergency medical fund for her treatment and care. Although Cindy was reunited with her owner, there are many abandoned and neglected animals that receive much needed medical treatment through those donations.

We would also like to remind pet owners of the importance of having a collar and identification tags on your pet. Micro-chips are also an inexpensive way to help reunite pets and owners.