Reward offered to find shooter

Pet Helpers is offering a $500 reward for information that will help authorities nab the person who shot a 9-month-old terrier-mix puppy in Mount Pleasant two weeks ago.

The dog appears to have been shot with a pellet gun and has pellets lodged in his neck and head, said Carol Linville, president and founder of Pet Helpers. Veterinarians are treating the dog at Pet Helpers, but he has major breathing difficulties. The staff has named him "Wheezer," Linville said.

"We will certainly work to fix him the best we can and get him into a new home," she said. "He's a super sweet little dog. It's just a miracle he's not dead."

The attack is thought to have occurred in the area around Dunes West, Linville said.

The injured dog showed up at the house of Pet Helpers worker Wendy Herrera on a cold, rainy day. He was very thin and had trouble breathing, Herrera said. Unable to find his owner, she and her husband cared for him overnight. They didn't realize he had been shot until she brought him to Pet Helpers and had an X-ray done, she said.

Pet Helpers is offering the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for shooting the dog. The organization also has started a "Wheezer" medical fund to help defray the costs of his care.

To help

Anyone wishing to offer information or donations can call Pet Helpers at 795-1110 or Carol Linville at 588-9295.

Reach Glenn Smith at gsmith@postandcourier.com or 937-5556.