Animal Society offers $5K reward after puppy shot in foot, cat shot in spine

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A dog and cat were shot separately within a week in South Carolina. (Charleston Animal Society)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Animal Society in South Carolina is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman, or gunmen, after a cat and dog were shot separately within the past week.

The society said on May 12, a cat was shot with pellets and found on the 7400 block of Tedder Street in North Charleston.

Five days earlier, a puppy was found with a gunshot wound to his paw on the 5200 block of Rivers Avenue.

"We are seeing a rising tide of animal cruelty and we must pull together as a community to stop it," Charleston Animal Society Vice President of Operations and Strategy Aldwin Roman said in a news release. "If you see something, please say something. and call the police."

Vets work on dog shot in the foot

Veterinarians at the Charleston Animal Society work on a dog who was shot in the foot. (Credit: Kay Hyman)

Veterinarians said radiographs showed multiple pellets embedded in the cat’s skin and body. It also appeared one pellet struck a cat’s spine, causing severe mobility issues.

Veterinarians believe the cat has a poor prognosis because of the extent of the injuries.

As for the puppy, the society said the bullet did significant damage to the joint in a way that it’ll never fully function. However, veterinarians are doing daily bandage changes in hopes the foot will be healed and be usable. Until then, the dog is wearing a splint to keep the weight off his foot. Veterinarians said amputation is possible if the foot doesn’t heal properly.

Animal cruelty can be considered a felony in South Carolina punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.