A dog with a streak of cruel misfortune is hoping that a fresh start and a new name is the sign of better things to come.
On March 18, Stray Rescue of St. Louis shared a Facebook post about one of their recent intakes, a one-year-old puppy who arrived at the rescue with an arrow “brutally lodged in his throat.”
“He was being hunted,” Stray Rescue began its post on the dog. “This dog needs ALL OF US. Our prayers, our positive vibes, our voices. He was found in East Prairie, MO. If you have any information on who did this, email us right away: [email protected]”
According to the post, after the dog was found with the broken arrow stuck in his neck, he was transferred to Stray Rescue for immediate veterinary care.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
“He was transported here to the safe haven of Stray Rescue, where we immediately administered pain medication. He’s so kind, so sweet, so gentle. It enrages us to even think about how someone could be so heartless to do something like this to such a sweet soul,” the rescue added on social media, alongside photos of the puppy looking mournful with the arrow shaft still stuck in his neck.
After the dog was settled and comfortable at the rescue, veterinarians X-rayed the pup and found more troubling news.
“Once we performed x-rays, we could clearly see that the arrow was going right through him. It is near his spine and esophagus. As if that wasn’t horrific enough, he also has a bullet lodged in his abdomen,” Stray Rescue shared, adding that the bullet wound is further evidence that “someone was hunting this puppy. They wanted him dead.”
After absorbing all this upsetting information, Stray Rescue named the dog Lucky Charm because they are confident that “he can make it through this.”
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
Unfortunately, Lucky Charm hit another roadblock shortly after arriving at Stray Rescue. When the organization’s surgeons went to remove the arrow from the dog’s neck, they discovered that the arrow was “piercing his trachea,” which meant a much more complicated operation was required.
Stray Rescue opted to take the dog to a skilled specialist surgeon and transported the Lucky Charm to the doctor “in our medical transport Jeep. We strapped him to the gurney and tucked him in with blankets and a pillow to show him that not every human being is a monster. We sent him with love and so many kisses.”
Stray Rescue of St. Louis
In an update shared with PEOPLE, Stray Rescue confirmed that Lucky Charm had completed his complicated surgery and no longer has an arrow lodged in his neck. Lucky Charm is set to return to Stray Rescue this week to continue his recovery.
Stray Rescue also shared a Lucky Charm update on Facebook and a graphic detailing the dog’s surgery.
“The arrow he was cruelly shot with pierced his trachea and his esophagus. It came right up to his spine but didn’t do any damage (even though it came very close). The surgeons carefully removed the arrow and stitched up both holes in his trachea and esophagus,” the rescue shared in its update, adding that the dog is “not out of the woods yet” but is eating and recovering well.
The rescue closed its update with a thank you to Lucky Charm’s growing number of supporters.
“We can’t thank you enough for your prayers, your fierce love, and your support!” the nonprofit wrote next to a link to donate to Lucky Charm’s growing medical expenses.
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Stray Rescue doesn’t know who shot Lucky Charm with an arrow and a bullet but is seeking answers. Animal abuse by first-time offenders is a Class A misdemeanor in Missouri, punishable with up to a year and/or a of up to $2,000, per Missouri’s Sentencing Advisory Commission.
Anyone with information on who harmed Lucky Charm should contact Stray Rescue at [email protected].
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