Dog shot in leg in East Toledo

Neighbors cared for stray until police, help arrived

3/24/2014
BY TAYLOR DUNGJEN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • n3dog-2

    Sandra Hartford spots another stray dog as she talks about the German shepherd that was shot across the street from her home on Clark Street in East Toledo. Police have a suspect and are investigating.

    THE BLADE/LORI KING
    Buy This Image

  • Sandra Hartford spots another stray dog as she talks about the German shepherd that was shot across the street from her home on Clark Street in East Toledo. Police have a suspect and are investigating.
    Sandra Hartford spots another stray dog as she talks about the German shepherd that was shot across the street from her home on Clark Street in East Toledo. Police have a suspect and are investigating.

    Just before noon on Monday, Sandra Hartford let one of her cats outside and happened to notice the stray dog that had been hanging around was curled up across the street on a neighbor’s porch.

    Ms. Hartford said she barely had time to sit down in her living room when she heard a “boom.”

    “I quick got up and saw a guy walking down the street putting his hands in his pockets,” Ms. Hartford said.

    Another neighbor called out that the dog on the porch had been shot.

    Toledo police Sgt. Joe Heffernan said officers were dispatched to the 900 block of Clark Street in East Toledo at 11:50 a.m. for a report of a dog that had been shot.

    Ms. Hartford said after the shooting she went across the street and helped neighbors care for the dog, which they had wrapped up in a table cloth, while waiting for police and animal control officials to arrive.

    Sergeant Heffernan said police have an idea of who shot the dog, but more investigation is necessary before charges can be filed against the suspect.

    “It’s sad. He’s an idiot,” Ms. Hartford said of the gunman.

    Dr. Michael Washkevich, a veterinarian at the Animal Emergency and Critical Care Center of Toledo, said the female dog, which appears to be a full-bred German shepherd, was shot in the right shoulder. Its humerus was struck, and the bullet ricocheted down to the radius, shattering that bone, too. The slug was still lodged in a piece of bone, he said

    On Monday afternoon, Dr. Washkevich said the dog was being treated with pain medication and fluids while they waited for a decision on how to proceed from Julie Lyle, director of the Lucas County Canine Care & Control, with amputation of the leg a possibility.

    Ms. Lyle said Monday night that officials were monitoring the dog’s health.

    A German shepherd was shot in front of this home on Clark Street in Toledo.  The dog’s leg might have to be amputated.
    A German shepherd was shot in front of this home on Clark Street in Toledo. The dog’s leg might have to be amputated.

    “At this point, we are trying to keep her stable and comfortable. As with any stray dog we will hold her three business days. After that if her health remains stable and we don’t see any severe temperament issues, we will attempt to transfer her to one of our transfer partners and the leg would be removed at that point,” Ms. Lyle said. “It is very unlikely to go up for direct adoption due to her injuries, but transfer is likely.”

    The dog, about 1½ years old, is a “very, very nice dog,” Dr. Washkevich said. “She is such a sweetheart. The fact that we could manipulate the leg and there was not one ounce of aggression shown — just like ‘Ouch, that hurts.’ ”

    Ms. Lyle said the dog does not have a license or a microchip.

    Ms. Hartford said the dog, called “Baby” by Ms. Hartford, started hanging out in the neighborhood on Saturday and neighbors started to care for it and feed it.

    The dog was apparently wearing a pink collar on Saturday, although there was no sign of a possible owner.

    Ms. Hartford said several people in the neighborhood have already said they are interested in adopting the dog if they’re able.

    “We look out for each other around here,” she said. “Critters and all.”

    Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.