Prognosis promising for dog with gunshot wounds, vet says

Eric Skowron, 34, of Toledo, is facing criminal charges in the shooting and abduction of Tyson the dog. NOT BLADE PHOTO Enlarge

Meanwhile, the Toledo Area Humane Society filed criminal charges against a neighbor, Eric Skowron, 34, of 1108 Rochelle Rd. and his girlfriend, Alisha Marie King, 29, of Lambertville, who are accused of the shooting and abduction, parts of which were caught on video by another neighbor's surveillance cameras.

Tyson, a 9-year-old shepherd, lab, and Rottweiler mix, was nearly dead on arrival the morning of June 24 at Reynolds Road Animal Hospital, after taking a .45-caliber bullet to his left eye and another to his chest the previous evening.

The bullets pierced through flesh and layers of tissue to lodge in the tricep of his front right leg.

Veterinary staff recalled how they hoped for the best but anticipated the worst. After being transferred to a more specialized clinic in Southfield, Mich., the dog's health began to rebound this week.

Though permanently blind in his left eye and suffering anemia and a swollen limb, the dog is expected to live.

Considering what he went through, Tyson was nothing less than a walking, four-legged miracle Friday for the staff at the Reynolds Road clinic.

"Tyson, you sure look better than you did last week," assistant Debbie Curran said as the lucky dog arrived with his owners: Kelly Luck, her son, Josh Luck, and daughter, Kayla Oehlers.

Stethoscope in hand, Dr. Roger Grothaus examined the dog from head to tail before sharing the good news. Still, Tyson will need surgery to remove his left eye and possibly to excise the bullets from his leg.

"He's not out of the woods yet, but looking at him, I think he's going to make it," Dr. Grothaus told the family. "This is a very tough dog. I don't think there are many dogs out there that can withstand the punishment and pain he went through."

He continued: "Imagine being point-blank shot in your left eye and having the bullet end up in your right tricep. Think about all of the structures that you need to go through to get to the right tricep. And then he got shot at point-blank range in his left shoulder, and it went across his chest, into his right tricep and almost landed on the other bullet."

Mr. Skowron and Ms. King were both charged Friday with injuring an animal and with animal torture. They are to appear July 16 in Toledo Municipal Court to answer to the misdemeanor charges.

The city of Toledo prosecutor's office is considering additional charges against the pair for criminal trespass, illegal discharge of a firearm, petty theft, and filing a false police report, said John Dinon, the humane society's executive director.

Surveillance camera footage from the night of June 23 appears to show two attempts by Mr. Skowron and Ms. King to lure the dog out of his owner's yard and toward Mr. Skowron's home. Twenty minutes later, the wounded dog stumbles home and collapses on the ground.

Police reports show that Mr. Skowron next called 911 to say he had just shot a dog who was attacking his own dog. But officers found no evidence to substantiate that claim.

An attorney for Mr. Skowron confirmed this week that Mr. Skowron did shoot the Lucks' dog, who he said would wander the neighborhood unleashed. He said the shooting was done in defense of Mr. Skowron's dog, whom Tyson allegedly threatened.

The attorney, Don Cameron, declined further comment yesterday.

Mr. Luck disputed the attorney's claims during yesterday morning's vet visit. He said that Tyson is friendly and nonaggressive, and that the video footage contradicts Mr. Skowron's claim.

What is more, Mr. Luck said his family has received phone calls recently from Mr. Skowron's work colleagues at the Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in Monroe County, alleging that Mr. Skowron talked for weeks about shooting a neighbor's dog and then bragging about doing it.

"If he's going to do this to a dog, what would he do to a human?" Mr. Luck asked. "What's to say he's not going to come to our house and try to do something to us?"

No one answered the door of Mr. Skowron's home yesterday for the second day in a row.

The Lucks hope to eventually recoup from Mr. Skowron the nearly $7,000 in veterinary expenses that have resulted from Tyson's shooting. Those wishing to contribute to the cause may donate to Tending for Tyson at any Fifth Third Bank branch or by following directions on a Facebook page called Tending for Tyson. Almost 1,600 people had expressed support for Tyson via the Facebook page as of last night.

The family also hopes that Tyson's story will lend support to efforts to raise the criminal penalty for animal cruelty to a felony from a misdemeanor.

Contact JC Reindl at:

jreindl@theblade.com

or 419-724-6065.