Community Raises Funds For Dog Who Survived Gunshot Wound To The Head
By Jim Bochnowski in News on Jun 8, 2015 6:50PM
Sophie, a shepherd/lab mix from Rogers Park, miraculously survived a gunshot to the head last week.
On June 3, two roommates in the Rogers Park neighborhood were found dead of gunshot wounds in their apartment following a fight of some kind, ABC reports.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the six year old shepherd/lab mix named Sophie struggling for life after apparently being hit with stray gunfire. The officers on site quickly escorted her to Blue Pearl Veterinary Clinic in Skokie, where she immediately received treatment.
At the clinic, Sophie was found with bullet fragments in her jaw and shoulder, as well as a significant amount of internal bleeding. Dr. Lauren Nazarian, the veterinarian responsible for taking care of Sophie, told the Chicago Tribune that, thankfully, while the dog has a long way to go, she's in stable condition.
"She was extremely disoriented and distressed when she was brought in. We didn't know at that point whether it hit her brain or what her outcome would be...This is one of those cases where it's really rewarding to have this job and to be able to see a dog come in in such critical condition and then to be able to hopefully send her home. This dog is very lucky. It doesn't look like the bullet hit her brain.
After hearing about the incident, the non-profit charity "Frankie's Friends," which is dedicated to helping pets with life-threatening conditions, started a GoFundMe account to help pay for Sophie's medical bills, which were estimated at $10,000. Luckily for Sophie, sometime over the weekend, the group exceeded their fundraising goal and she'll have all of her bills covered. All extra funds donated above the goal amount to help Sophie will go towards other pets in need.
If nobody claims Sophie out of Blue Pearl, she will be turned over to the city's animal control department, according to ABC. Thankfully, however, there have already been several offers to take her in as soon as she's able to be moved.