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A dog named Spike is fighting for his life after a "man in uniform" shot it.
According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Bloemfontein, the events leading up to Spike's shooting were unclear.
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SPCA officials rushed to the scene, but someone had moved the dog.
"We drove up and down the streets but couldn't find the dog. We eventually came across a person who knew where the dog was. When we arrived at the house, the owner had already closed the wound on the foot and put a popsicle on his body where it was swollen," the Bloemfontein SPCA said in a statement.
"We talked to the owner and she said that a man in uniform had shot her dog. She was unable to remember his name. The owner still doesn't know why he had shot her dog. After we applied bandages to stop the bleeding and had made the dog comfortable, we rushed him to the veterinarian for treatment."
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'Doing everything to find the culprit'
It is not clear whether the shooter is a police officer or security guard.
The SPCA found that no policeman had registered a firearm discharge for Tuesday.
"There are multiple security companies in the area and we are doing everything to find the culprit. We are desperately trying to find the culprit. Please be patient as we are doing everything in our power to get justice for Spike," said the SPCA.
The bullet caused multiple severe injuries which require several surgeries.
"It appears that a lung was also damaged and that little Spike had lost a lot of blood. Spike is currently in a lot of pain. The good news is that Spike can be saved but needs to go for operations," the SPCA said.
It added that the cost of the procedures would be about R8 000 and it appealed to the public for donations.
The National Council of SPCA's 2017 to 2018 annual report tied animal abuse to the national economy and said that the organisation continued to battle abuse with less funding.
The organisation also applauded the police for their assistance and support in combating dog abuse and dog fighting.
In the 2017/18 year, the SPCAs conducted 2 646 inspections, issued 420 warnings, and were successful in 29 prosecutions.
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