Police in upstate New York are searching for a ruthless thug who shot and killed an animal sanctuary owner's dog, Kolija, and dragged the dog home in pain, covered in blood.
police announced Thursday The 2-year-old, 80-pound Great Pyrenees German Shepherd mix was roaming the woods in Athens, about 30 miles south of Albany, when he was shot in the right hind leg on Jan. 1, police said.
The sick pup was forced to hobble home to the And Hof Animal Sanctuary in the Catskills, where he lives.
Koriha's owner, Kurt Andermacher, president of AND Hof, rushed the injured pet to Kingston Animal Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound, a fractured pelvis, and a fractured femur.
Kolija later underwent surgery at a veterinary hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, police said.
“His back legs are shattered,” Andernach said. stated in the posted video On facebook. “My femur and pelvis have also been shattered, and my joints will also require reconstructive surgery.
“His recovery will take a very long time,” he said.
Andernach said medical bills have already reached $14,000 and are expected to rise, which prompted the sanctuary to launch a gofundme.com page.
The site had raised $2,510 by Thursday night.
“Evidence found during the DEC and state trooper investigation, as well as the location and size of the doorway wound, strongly suggest that Mr. Kolya was shot from behind at close range, possibly while fleeing. There is a high possibility.” Sanctuary said in another post On facebook.
“Now that the exact location of the incident has been determined, the ongoing investigation confirms that the shooter, who has not been identified to date, was trespassing at the time,” the post said.
Officers said they returned to the crime scene and traced the blood trail to a series of power lines about 600 meters from Andermacher's home.
Police also released heartbreaking photos of Koriha being treated by a veterinarian.
