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ST. GEORGE — A dog has been reunited with its owner after it was found dozens of miles away from home in a rural area of Washington County with a gunshot wound to its face. Police say they are taking the case seriously and investigating it as a possible instance of animal cruelty.
The young female black Labrador was found bleeding on the side of the road in Pintura Sept. 2 and was brought to Southwest Animal Emergency Clinic in St. George for treatment.
The dog suffered a fractured jaw as a result of being shot with what appears to have been a .22-caliber rifle. An employee at the clinic, Liana Cooper, secured a surgical operation to remove bone and bullet fragments from the dog’s jaw. She also went about looking for the dog’s owner by knocking on doors and sharing photos on social media.
Cooper said a previous St. George News article about the dog helped reunite her with her owner. The owner’s sister saw the story shared on Facebook and quickly recognized the Lab as her brother’s lost dog.
The dog had reportedly run away from the man’s Cedar City residence and wasn’t seen again until an unidentified Good Samaritan found her injured in Washington County.
“She was super excited to see him. She rolled over on her side and wagged her tail,” Cooper said of the dog’s reaction when she was reunited with the owner Monday, adding that the owner was pretty excited as well. “You could tell he was kind of emotional about it.”
Cooper said the man was extremely gracious and paid for all outstanding medical bills above what hadn’t already been covered by gracious community members donating to the clinic and an online fund drive.
To read the full story, visit St. George News.
