(KTLA) — An investigation is underway after a 4-month-old chihuahua puppy was found with an arrow in its neck in California.
The puppy was taken to an animal hospital Monday morning after it was found in the unincorporated area of Desert Hot Springs in the Coachella Valley.
A woman called the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department to report that she was awoken by the “screaming” dog, according to Riverside County Animal Services.
A sheriff’s deputy and an animal services officer responded to the area to collect the female chihuahua and take it to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms for treatment.
The young dog was sedated and veterinarians captured X-rays of her wounds. Luckily, the projectile avoided any vital arteries and the veterinarian team approved the removal of the arrow from the dog’s neck.
A puppy that was shot in the neck with an arrow recovers after having the projectile removed from its neck on May 23, 2022 (Riverside County Animal Services)
“For someone to willfully shoot this poor pup with an arrow is disgusting,” Riverside County Animal Services Director Erin Gettis said in a news release. “We are shocked and we hope someone can provide us any information as to who did this.”
Despite its injuries, the dog is expected to recover. Animal services will continue to treat the dog and then work on finding her a new home, Gettis said.