Decapolis, Virginia. You heard the name “Pluto,” and it’s a name given to a dog; what would you think of it? What image has popped into your mind?
I bet it is Pluto, the beloved yellow dog who is also Mickey Mouse’s best friend.
But sadly, the Pluto we are talking about today was not as lucky, at least not from the beginning.
Pluto is a one-year-old chocolate labrador. We weren’t sure if the first year of his life was happy or full of love from his previous owner.
But, Fallon Braun, Pluto’s then neighbor, described that Pluto’s previous owner attempted to euthanize him by himself in early April–simply because the man decided he didn’t want Pluto anymore.
Even more tragically, the man didn’t even try in a more “peaceful” or “non-painful” way by taking Pluto to the hospital. Instead, the man was trying to shoot Pluto to death.
Fortunately, Pluto managed to escape from the property. And after noticing the incident, his neighbor, Fallon, tried to search for him so she could rescue Pluto.
After hours of searching, they found Pluto alive, “by grace,” Fallon said.
GoFundMe; pictured above is Pluto
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The poor pup was shot three times. Although wounded, he was still happy to see people that he knew.
Finally, Fallon and the others reached Madison County Animal Control to have Pluto taken into a shelter and treated for his wounds.
“Special thanks to Annette for being so helpful and responsive during this crisis,” Fallon said.
Part of Pluto’s jaw was shattered. The cause? Although not clearly stated, it was possibly from something done by his previous owner.
“I’m sick to my stomach over the entire situation and cannot believe a human could be so heartless and abusive to a pet,” Fallon stated.
Pluto is receiving and will continue to need to obtain medical care after being shot. Fallon explained that she was unclear about the exact cost of his medical procedures, but she created a GoFundMe post to help raise funds to cover Pluto’s medical bills.
The man who did this to Pluto was arrested on May 3rd and faces several charges. Pluto’s recovery is going well, and the community still supports him.
“There was no reason for Pluto to suffer, and he needs justice,” Fallon stated. “Animals cannot advocate for themselves! So we need to do it for them.”
Please visit Fallon’s page here to follow up with Pluto’s story and the charges against his former owner.
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