COWETA, Okla. — A family and the Coweta Police Department ask for help finding who's responsible for an apparent gunshot wound to their dog the evening of Aug. 6 on Bristow Avenue.
“Who would do something that horrible to him? It’s just heart-breaking," nine-year-old Elizabeth Turner said while petting her semi-mobile sheltie, Apollo.
WATCH: Coweta police investigate family dog shot while kids outside:
The Turners told 2 News Oklahoma on Aug. 9 they also need help saving their dog's leg after the unthinkable injury while Elizabeth and her eight-year-old brother William were playing in their backyard, just feet from the Coweta police and fire departments.
“She tells me she heard a gunshot," Elizabeth's mother, Juliette Turner said, recounting when her kids came back inside after they heard a pop. "And I get out there right when (my husband) is carrying Apollo inside and there is this gaping, bloody spot on his side.”
Coweta police confirmed to 2 News the three-year-old dog has injuries "consistent with a small-caliber projectile” that passed through and exited his upper hind leg, breaking the femur. Detectives are investigating it as an animal cruelty crime.
1. There is an active investigation into this incident.
2. It’s less than 24 hours old.
3. Police have spoken with neighbors and sought video footage from them. To date, no one saw anything, heard anything, or had anything on video. One neighbor has cameras, but they are not currently operational.
I can confirm the injuries the dog sustained are consistent with a small-caliber projectile, so we are investigating this as an act of animal cruelty, and I assure you CPD is taking anyone shooting dogs in our jurisdiction very seriously. If anyone in Coweta does have any further information about this incident, we encourage them to come forward with it.
“Our children were out in the yard when this happened," Turner said. "This could have missed him and gotten one of them. It’s a public safety concern right now as this this could happen again."
Apollo faces a possible leg amputation this week, the family said. They’ve since set up a GoFundMe to help cover some of the mounting veterinary bills and get Apollo back having fun in their backyard.
“I want my kids to be able to play outside," Turner said. "I want my dogs to be able to play outside. And right now we’re just in a place of fear of this happening again and having a worse outcome than what’s already happened to him."
“We just hope that the doctor is able to fix his leg," Elizabeth added.
Police are reportedly trying to find more possible surveillance video tied to Apollo getting shot and ask anyone with info to come forward.
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