Dog shot in drive-by

Bullet still lodged in pit bull
By JONATHAN JENKINS, TORONTO SUN

A pit bull-mix is in critical condition after being shot by a drive-by gunman in Jane-Finch and surgeons will today try to save the dog's life by cutting out the bullet.

"He's in a lot of pain and the bullet is still lodged within him,"said Courtney Barnfield of the Toronto Humane Society.

Prince the pit bull remained at the Toronto Humane Society after being transferred there from an emergency veterinarian clinic.

The dog's owner was out walking her muzzled and leashed pup Monday evening, Barnfield said, when "a car drove up and someone inside shot the dog."

Nothing was said to the woman and it's not known if she or the dog was being targeted, "however, the dog was shot right in the middle of the chest."

And while the owner rushed her dog to the vet, she was less keen to call police to report the shooting.

"She's quite leery apparently of doing so,"Barnfield said.

The Humane Society will file a police report and will also turn the bullet over for ballistic testing.
"It can happen, we get people who get shot up here that don't call us," Staff-Sgt. Gerry Cashman said. "It's too bad."

But regardless of the victim's species, it's distressing to hear people aren't willing to call cops for help.

"If someone was shooting at the dog or hit the dog, I would think the round was intended for me," Cashman said.

"I'd want the police to be aware of it," he said.

Police-community relations have often been uneasy in Jane-Finch but Cashman said residents have been coming forward more often lately and have helped solve a number of shootings.

"I think we're doing a lot better than we used to do in getting information from individuals," he said.