The RSPCA has appealed for information after a border collie puppy was shot in the head and left to die on a Rhymney mountainside on Christmas Day.
The charity has expressed its disgust and has called on members of the public to help trace those responsible
The puppy, a black and white border collie under a year old, was found shivering and breathing shallowly on Christmas Day on Fochriw mountain, Rhymney, by a dog walker.
The dog was suffering from a swollen head and a large open wound on the left hand side of his face. An X-ray revealed 60 pellets lodged in the dog’s skull and to prevent further suffering was put down.
RSPCA inspector Gary Lucas said: “The dog did not die instantly from the shot, and was therefore left to suffer until he was found the same day by a dog walker, who was able to stay with the collie until the RSPCA arrived.
“The collie was wearing both a collar and flea collar and was also found to be microchipped, but the property to which it was registered was found boarded up.
“We are currently in the process of trying to obtain tenant details to try to further our enquiries.”
He added: “This was a horrific incident. Shooting the dog in the face in the first place is bad enough, but to then walk away and let it suffer until death is abominable.
“Dogs are our companions and should be treated with the care they deserve.
“Even if you are finding it hard to cope with caring for your animal due to changing personal circumstances etc, it is your duty to seek advice from an animal welfare organisation.
“We need to find out what has happened to this poor dog and are relying heavily on the public’s knowledge.
“Any information could potentially prevent the person or persons responsible from mistreating another poor animal.
“Please remember also that any calls are in complete confidence.”
Anyone with any information about this incident or about the dog are urged to call the RSPCA’s 24-hour national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999.
that is appaling it mad me cry
The person or people who did this to this animal have to be brought to justice, lets hope the newspapers and this publication keep us informed of developments in the investigation.
Someone must know, a friend, a neighbour, the postman, who owned this defenceless puppy, it is clearly someone who has access to a firearm, so he or she is also known to the Gwent police, and, will be on their records, who or what will they use it on next. Or are there people in this Valley walking around with a gun willing to use on anything that cannot otherwise defend itself???? and the police are powerless to intervene?????
It is the role of the Gwent police firearms officer to know where every gun in Gwent is stored, so they, surely, must be interested to find out who misused this firearm????
I have been told by Gwent Police that they are NOT investigating this incident of misuse of a shotgun by a person in the Gwent Community, a cretinous inane idiot.
That is appalling.
Someone must know who is responsible?? Speak up please and get justice for the poor defenceless dog who must have suffered terribly. Absolute scum!!!
So sad. Poor dog couldn’t do anything it was defenceless. If I see or hear of the owner, I would personally go out and shoot him myself. Hopefully he will experience the pain the collie did. But it was the right thing to put it down, it had already suffered enough