LA MESA, Calif. (KGTV) - A Chihuahua puppy is battling for her life after she was shot by a pellet gun at her La Mesa foster home.
“She was about to live her best life, and it was taken away from her,” said Zoraida Padilla.
Padilla, a volunteer with De Tommaso Rescue, had been fostering the chihuahua for more than two weeks at her La Mesa home, off Guava Avenue.
“We were going to fly her out to Connecticut. She was already adopted,” said Padilla.
On Friday morning, Padilla says Chloe, a littermate, and two of her dogs were playing after she let them out in her backyard.
When Chloe didn't return, Padilla went to look for her and found her hurt and bleeding.
“I see Chloe on her back twisting,” said Padilla.
The rescue group brought Chloe to a vet in Tijuana. An X-ray revealed the cause: a pellet lodged in her head.
“It was stuck right under her little skull,” said Padilla. “She's not target practice. I mean, who does that?”
Early signs point to some neurological impairment.
“Her eyes going really rapidly, back and forth, back and forth,” said Padilla.
Padilla now believes it’s the second time one of her dogs has been shot.
Two weeks ago, Milo, her chihuahua-pug mix, who'd been in the yard, came into the house with a limp. Padilla held him and saw blood on her hands.
At the time, Padilla thought Milo had been nipped by one of the other dogs. After Chloe was shot, Padilla took a closer look.
“The puncture wounds are the same, similar to Chloe’s,” said Padilla.
Padilla doesn't know anyone who has issues with her dogs. Her yard borders an apartment complex.
“I don't know if my dogs are safe. I’ve never felt this here before. I’ve been here 20 years,” said Padilla.
As for Chloe, tests will determine the severity of the neurological issues.
“We will give her every chance. If there are neurological issues, we have someone ready to adopt her…If she’s not going to have a good quality of life, where she can’t walk or hold her head up, then we will have to let her go,” said a tearful Padilla. “For someone to shoot her like that, I still can’t wrap my head around that.”
Padilla did file a report with the San Diego Humane Society. A spokesperson says they have not received any other reports of recent shootings in the La Mesa area.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Chloe with veterinary expenses.
