Family hoping for leads to who shot and killed their dog
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WOODS CROSS -- A 20-month-old Australian shepherd, Zelda, who was usually gated in the backyard, was discovered last week by her family lying on the front porch, painfully trying to survive a pointed-tip pellet in her gut, shot there by an unknown assailant.
"She was waiting for somebody to come home and help her," George Blackburn said. "My daughter got home from school at 2:45 (p.m.) and the dog was still in shock and in pain. ... She was only 20 months old. Still a puppy."
Zelda died three days later.
The family is asking for the public's help in solving the crime. With new animal cruelty laws enacted in 2008, a suspect could face a felony charge.
Zelda played important roles in the Blackburns' lives. A cousin died tragically in a automobile accident recently and Zelda was adopted to ease the family's grief. George and his wife, Lois, still have two of five children at home, but Zelda also helped with the early pangs of empty nest syndrome.
"You're feeling bad because you're missing your kids, so you treat your pet like a kid," George Blackburn said. "And we did."
On Nov. 20, the Blackburns were conducting their daily lives with work and school. Zelda's day started normally as well, which meant a peaceful day in the gated backyard at 1086 S. 925 West.
George Blackburn estimates that Zelda's peace came to an end sometime between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. At 2 p.m., a neighbor whose children often played with the dog, called animal control to report that Zelda was acting aggressively.
"She called animal control around 2 o'clock on Thursday and we believe that's the time that Zelda was injured," he said. "We believe her kids came over to try to console the dog, but our dog didn't want to be consoled."
The Blackburns say they spent around $1,000 trying to save Zelda, but she couldn't be saved.
"Sunday she went down pretty fast and we took her to the animal emergency room," George Blackburn said. "They were able to revive her ... but the damage done couldn't be repaired."
George Blackburn said he has "some leads" but does not know who the shooter is. He said X-rays showed the pellet was a pointed-tip hunting pellet. He knows someone went into the backyard because the difficult-to-open gate was left open, but he does not know if the person who opened the gate is the same person who killed Zelda.
Davis County Animal Control cruelty investigator Tracy Gross said animal shootings in Davis County are rare, fewer than a handful per year. She's hopeful the public will assist in the investigation.
"We need a witness who actually witnessed the crime or someone who's willing to come forward and give us any kind of lead," she said. "We're hoping with the word out that someone saw something or heard something and will give us a call."
To report a tip, call Davis County Animal Control at 444-2200.
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