A dog found with multiple bullet wounds and other injuries is making a slow but steady move toward a happy ending but is not out of the woods yet, while the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating who might have caused him harm.
The 35-pound brown mixed-breed dog, named Sunny by the folks at the Shawano County Humane Society, has found a forever home as many in the community have provided an outpouring of support in the days since he was brought in for treatment. Sunny was found July 15 in the Town of Maple Grove near Cedar Drive and Maple Road and was transported to Specialized Veterinary Care of Shawano for treatment.
An initial examination of Sunny showed eight gunshot wounds and a broken leg, all appearing to have occurred two to four days before he was found. Pam Nowak, humane society executive director, said that a ninth gunshot wound has since been discovered along with broken ribs and heavy bruising around the stomach area.
“He is moving around. He is walking around the clinic a little bit,” Nowak said.
She added that the bruising seemed to indicate Sunny had been kicked by someone.
While the humane society regularly cares for abandoned and injured dogs, Sunny’s case has been one of the more heartbreaking ones, according to Nowak.
“I’ve lost so much sleep over this,” she said. “It’s so sad, so heartbreaking for all of us.”
Nowak said there were a lot of offers to provide a permanent home for Sunny, but it appears one of the people who helped Sunny the day he was found will be the one to care for the dog once he recovers. She said the man let her know as soon as Sunny was brought in for treatment that he was interested in being the dog’s new owner.
“He was high on the list, has everything he needs,” Nowak said. “He’ll be able to care for Sunny all during the day at his work. He’ll be able to take Sunny to work with him.”
Despite what has happened, Sunny has been showing a positive attitude, according to Nowak.
“This dog that has been through so much will still wag his tail and greet and try to get up,” she said. “It’s really amazing. It doesn’t seem to have to broken his spirit or his will to survive.”
Sunny’s story has seemed to galvanize the Shawano community, as donations and other forms of support have been pouring in.
“The support has been wonderful — the care, the concern, the phone calls, the letters we get,” Nowak said. “It has impacted us and shown how many people really, truly care and want to help and do everything can to make sure the person who did this is found and make sure we have all the support we can to care for Sunny.”
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department has not reported any developments in the investigation, but a $2,500 reward has been offered for information that leads to the arrest of anyone responsible by The Center for a Humane Economy and the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project. Anyone with information on Sunny or who might have been responsible for hurting him can contact the dispatch center at 715-526-3111 or email Deputy Josh Heider at josh.heider@shawanocountywi.gov.
As for those who want to support Sunny in his recovery, they can go to www.shawanocountyhumanesociety.org and click on the blue button at the top of the page to donate.
“It’s a huge help, because, even though we’re covering all of Sunny’s medical bills, we are a nonprofit, and everything is from donations,” Nowak said.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
