Not
disclosed |
Yorkshire
Terrier shot with pellet gun |
Wichita,
KS |
July
18, 2006 |
An 8-month
old Yorkshire terrier named
Toma
is recovering after being shot in the right front leg with a pellet gun.
Robbie Balog stated Toma and her other Dog Daisy,
a Jack Russell terrier were with her outdoors on Tuesday evening
while she fed her horses. The two dogs were barking and got a neighbor’s dog
barking. Balog
saw a neighbor come out of his home, pull out a gun and shoot Toma.
Dr.
Jennifer Sullivan at Blair Doon Veterinary Hospital in Wichita stated that
a large pellet had lodged in the ulna and split it lengthwise. She was able
to remove the pellet and fit Toma with
a splint.
(Toma held by her guardian, Christa Gardner - Photo courtesy of Jaime Oppenheimer, the Wichita Eagle) Sedgwick County investigators are looking
into whether the shooting of Toma might fall under a new animal cruelty law
that came into effect on July 1, 2006, known as ‘Scruffy’s Law’ (a/ka Magnum’s
Law). If this allegation rises to the level of Scruffy’s Law, anyone found
guilty of ‘intentional and maliciously’ killing or injuring an animal can
be charged with a felony and face penalties of at least 30 days in jail and
$500 to $5,000 in fines. Scruffy’s
Law is designed to keep people from committing cruel, horrendous acts toward
an animal.
Scruffy,
a Yorkshire terrier was
tortured and killed in Kansas City,
KS in 1997 and another dog, Magnum, was found in August 2005 in Wichita with
cuts, chemical burns and a broken leg. The abuse and subsequent death
of Magnum led to wide community support for tougher animal cruelty laws.
It is
unknown yet if Toma’s shooting
will be considered a felony or a misdemeanor.
Reference:
Wichita
Eagle