In a reminder of the tragic cruelty that humans are capable of, someone shot a pit bull in the leg and left it to die on the side of the interstate in Baltimore earlier this week.
Fortunately, a good Samaritan saw the poor canine wrapped in a blanket sitting on the side of I-95 while driving on her morning commute on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post from BARCS Animal Shelter in South Baltimore. She quickly noticed he was bleeding from a circular wound in his leg.
“He was crying and unable to walk, so she bravely picked up the bleeding dog, placed him in her minivan and drove to BARCS,” the shelter wrote. “We named him Charlie.”
Staff brought Charlie into BARCS on a stretcher. Rather than remaining averse to the humans — a completely understandable reaction for an abused dog — he was “giving little kisses to every hand and arm that neared his face,” the shelter wrote.
Inside the emergency room, x-rays confirmed vets’ worst suspicion: Charlie has been shot in the leg and had a shattered bone.
The shelter said police and animal control were notified. Baltimore Police Department spokesman Det. Donny Moses confirmed animal control officers notified police late Thursday night. The dog was shot one day before he was found Tuesday morning, Moses said. A detective will head to BARCS today to investigate.
BARCS staff weren’t immediately available to comment.
Charlie is now at a BARCS partner clinic where he can receive the necessary surgery and begin what will be a long recovery. To pay for his medical care, the shelter will use money from its Franky Fund, which provides emergency and specialized care for homeless animals, according to its website.
Even so, BARCS says it needs donations to help Charlie. If you’d like to assist, feel free to donate here by selecting “Franky Fund” in the donation category field and entering “Charlie” under the dedication section.
The crime is a horrid one akin to what happened last year to Duckie, the kitten found in Belair-Edison with her ears and whiskers burned off. Fortunately, Duckie has recovered from the abuse she suffered and was last known to be with a loving foster family. Hopefully a full recovery and a similarly bright future await poor Charlie.
