Reedley dog survives being shot in the head, now needs a home

After surviving a bullet to the head, a dog at Fresno Humane Animal Services is looking for another Christmas miracle: a home.

The animal shelter received a call Dec. 23 about an injured dog living under someone’s porch in Reedley. The dog was shot in the head, and the bullet had exited his mouth. But after a trip to the vet, he’s going to be OK, said Fresno Humane Animal Services President Brenda Mitchell.

Who shot the dog and why is still unknown. Mitchell said the dog is not aggressive.

“It could be a really horrible human being we’re dealing with, and something sinister, or it could be someone who was afraid for their safety and their animals’ safety,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know what the circumstances were. The bottom line is, people have to protect their pets. Unfortunately, we’ve got a lot of educating to do in this community, getting people to understand that animals are a responsibility.”

Neither Reedley Police nor the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office were investigating the incident.

Apollo, who Mitchell named Apollo “because he’s a survivor,” received a lot of attention on Christmas Eve when a video of him wagging his tail, despite stitches running down his face, was posted to the Fresno Humane Animal Services Facebook page.

But Mitchell is worried about finding him a forever home because of the stigma surrounding his breed. Apollo is a pit bull mix.

“We have a really hard time finding our pit bulls a home, but this guy has got such a story,” she said. “And he’s sweet as pie.”

For more information about Apollo, contact Fresno Humane Animal Services at 559-600-PETS or at fresnohumane.org.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Reedley dog survives being shot in the head, now needs a home."