MONTREAL—The Surete du Quebec has opened an investigation into the shooting of a dog in the Eastern Townships. Orville was shot in the head and left to die in a ditch.
On Thursday, the SQ met with four people claiming to be Orville’s owners after they showed up at the offices of the SPA des Cantons. Workers immediately called police and SQ officers rushed to the SPA to question the owners.
The Australian Shepherd is lucky to be alive. On Thursday he was running and jumping, despite having bullet fragments lodged in his head. With signs of abuse on the animal, police were quick to show up on Thursday.
The people claiming to be owners were questioned for hours before they and police left.
Orville was found on Feb. 24 lying in a ditch in Cowansville, in the Eastern Townships, and brought to the SPA des Cantons, where employees nursed him back to health.
Workers initially thought the immense swelling on the dog's head was because he had been hit by a car, but once the swelling went down this week they noticed a very suspicious hole in the back of the animal's head.
"Two days ago we went to the vet, we made an X-ray and he confirmed it was a bullet," said Carl Girard.
"The bullet exploded in the dog's head, so it can't be removed and the dog is going to have to live with it for the rest of his life."
Due to the burn marks on the dog’s neck, it is believed the dog was shot at close range.
Orville is showing other signs of having been abused, and while he can run short distances it is evident that one of his legs has been damaged.
It seems unlikely the dog will be returned to anyone claiming to be his owner. The SPA plans to keep the dog and bring him to schools, as a living symbol of cruelty to animals.
