It’s been a month since the incident, but a Kapahi woman said she still can’t believe what happened to her 7-month-old golden retriever. The puppy, named April, was in her enclosed kennel, in the woman’s backyard, when an unknown assailant
It’s been a month since the incident, but a Kapahi woman said she still can’t
believe what happened to her 7-month-old golden retriever.
The puppy, named
April, was in her enclosed kennel, in the woman’s backyard, when an unknown
assailant walked into the yard, leaned into the kennel and shot the friendly
dog in the eye and nose with a pellet gun.
The animal was blinded in one
eye, which was later removed. At least three pellets remain embedded in the
animal’s head.
The attack took place between 5 and 6 p.m. Sept. 14 at the
house in the Puu Kaa subdivision.
Police were called, but the owner said no
arrests have been made. A check with authorities confirmed that
fact.
“April’s in better spirits now. But she’s still very insecure. I keep
her indoors with me,” said the owner, who described herself as a lifelong
Kaua`i resident but asked not to be identified.
In an apparently unrelated
incident, a Wailua woman reported on Oct. 8 that someone had poisoned her
dog.
Pattie Mitchell, a former Kaua`i Humane Society board member who still
volunteers for the agency and writes a weekly pets feature for The Garden
Island, said abuse of animals is common on Kaua`i.
“Unfortunately, it’s a
problem. It happens a lot with cats and dogs. It’s continuous,” Mitchell
said.
Mitchell added that in the Kapahi case, she fears the problem might
escalate if nothing is done by authorities.
“The biggest concern I have
right now is that it’s probably young children. If they will do something like
this in the middle of the afternoon, I’m afraid the next victim might be a
child,” she said.
Mitchell is offering a $1,000 reward for anyone bringing
forward information that results in the arrest and conviction of April’s
attackers.
According to the Kaua`i County Prosecutor’s Office, cruelty to
animals is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to one year in jail.
The
one exception is a person charged with “fighting” dogs faces a class C
felony.
“If you have any information regarding this incident, please call
the Kaua`i Humane Society at 335-5255,” Mitchell said.
Staff writer
Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and
dwilken@pulitzer.net
Contributed photo
Seven-month-old April, a
golden retriever, was shot in her eye last month by an unknown assailant. A
$1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and
conviction of the shooter.
