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Humane Society offers $5,000 reward in case after dog found shot, abandoned along Utah highway

Posted at 3:20 PM, Mar 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-02 17:20:50-05

Coco the dog. Image courtesy Emily Collingsworth/GoFundMe

SCIPIO, Utah — The Humane Society of Utah is offering a $5,000 reward for information in the case after a dog was found abandoned with a gunshot wound along Highway 50.

According to HSU, the young female Australian Shepherd was found Wednesday along Highway 50 near Scipio, Utah.

The Humane Society hopes the $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible will help the Millard County Sheriff’s Office investigate the case.

“We’re horrified to think that someone could intentionally shoot a dog and leave it to suffer and die alone,” said Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of HSU. “At the same time, we’re glad that she will survive and thank the community that has stepped in to help her. The person responsible must be caught and held accountable before they potentially harm or kill anyone else. We want to know who is responsible and why this heinous act was committed.”

The dog was rescued by Emily Collingsworth, who created a GoFundMe page to assist with the dog’s medical expenses.The page has already raise more than three times its goal of $1,500.

Collingsworth tells HSU that “Coco” the dog will undergo surgery Monday. She said Coco’s foreleg will need to be amputated due to the bullet shattering the dog’s shoulder bone.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Millard County Sheriff’s Office at 435-743-5302. For more information about the Humane Society of Utah or to contribute to their efforts, visit their website.