Man Organizes Hefty Reward To Find Person Shooting Dogs In Colorado Springs
COLORADO SRPINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Dog owners in one of Colorado's biggest cities are on alert after three shootings in the past month involving dogs.
An Australian shepherd was killed Jan 5. A few weeks later another dog was shot at, but not hit. Then a week ago another dog was shot in the neck. All the dogs were shot at a public park in Colorado Springs.
The one thing all of the cases have in common is that all of the dogs were off their leash.
Robbie the dog was the third victim to be targeted by the gunman whose sights are set on man's best friend. Robbie was discovered last week with a bullet wound to the neck.
"It's startling to think that there's somebody, or a group of people out there shooting at dogs," said the owner of Sydney, who didn't want to be identified out of fear.
Sydney was shot and killed while they played fetch in a park last month.
"We are a community that's supposed to be dog friendly, and to have this be the third time," the woman said.
Leah, an American bulldog, was spared when the shooter narrowly missed her.
"I was like, 'Easy, she doesn't bite or anything like that.' All of a sudden I heard a pop. It was about a .9-millimeter sound," Leah's owner Sean Cook said.
"Shock, anger, fury … and a good deal of sadness too," Terry Shaddic said.
Shaddic is the founder of the organization So Much For Pets in Colorado Springs. He said he now keeps his dog on a leash even to walk to the car. He's so disturbed by the string of shootings that he and others are offering a reward, which now totals $3,200.
RELATED: 3 Dogs Shot In Colorado Springs In Past Month
"It tells me there are a lot of people out there very angry, and hopefully people who have the money that they're willing to spend to identify this creature and get him off the streets," Shaddic said.
Police are investigating to see if the three cases are related.
The suspect or suspects would face reckless endangerment charges.
LINK: So Much For Pets