A rescue group in Chilton County, Alabama, is pushing for accountability after someone shot seven puppies last week. The puppies, all around six months old, were found with gunshot wounds. Two died. Three are now in foster homes recovering from flesh wounds, and two remain at Calera Animal Hospital, where one may need a leg amputated. Chilton County TNR says it first learned about the shooting on Monday and has spent the week collecting the surviving dogs and arranging their care.
Rebecca Medcalf, a representative with the rescue, said the group wants both the person who shot the dogs and the people who abandoned them to answer for what happened. The organization is gathering information and plans to file a police report. The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office said it is working to reach the rescue group to determine jurisdiction, a common first step in rural counties where city and county lines overlap.
The case has also renewed a broader conversation about animal cruelty and stray overpopulation, both in Alabama and here at home along the Suncoast. Local rescue groups rely heavily on donations and volunteers to cover veterinary costs, and many say the need only grows. Chilton County TNR is accepting donations to help with the hospitalized puppies’ medical bills.
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