By BERNIE HORNICK
JOHNSTOWN — Christine Sullivan’s heart is divided.
Part of it is with her purebred husky, Star, recovering at home after being shot in both legs Friday, presumably by a reckless hunter.
Perhaps a bigger part is out in the snowy woods somewhere – with Star’s 1-year-old puppy who is missing. The dogs took off under the fence for a romp, as they had before, and the pup might have become lost after Star was shot.
It’s like a family member is missing from the homestead on Fyock Drive, Seanor.
“I just want to know if she’s still alive to go and get her. Or if she’s dead to go and get her and bury her,” Sullivan said.
She’s hopeful some kind stranger has taken the puppy in or that another hunter will come upon her and save her.
Sullivan requested that the name of the puppy not be used in the story for fear someone would keep her.
As Sullivan continues her vigil, she caters to Star. The dog was struck in both hind legs and part of a rifle bullet remains lodged under her skin. The bullet missed her bones.
A veterinarian stitched her up and the blue-eyed Star should recover. Star is on antibiotics and pain meds and was limping around on three legs Monday.
Dr. Christine Claycomb of Richland Veterinary Hospital said Star should do OK, though she will have severe arthritis in one leg.
“There was so much muscle damage,” Claycomb said.
The veterinarian said the husky pup should be able to handle the recent cold snap, though she has other concerns. Claycomb was primarily concerned with whether the puppy had itself been injured, and if she can find food and water.
Paint Township police Chief Rick Skiles doesn’t know who fired the gun and has heard nothing about the pup.
“People should use a little bit of discretion (before shooting),” he said Monday.
“At the same time, especially during hunting season, people have to make sure their animals don’t get out.”
Sullivan, 44, had just come home about 1 p.m. Friday from working at Harmony House Manor in Johnstown and noticed the dogs were gone.
“I call her (Star) ‘Mrs. Houdini’ because she could have a hole the size of a softball and wiggle herself through it.”
The dogs had run off together before and Sullivan would either cruise in her car and find them or the dogs would come back on their own.
Friday, as she cruised around just before dark, she happened to notice the police with some people by the roadside about
four miles from her home. They were crowded around the husky, blood oozing onto her snow-white fur.
“I saw Star lying there,” Sullivan said. “I thought she got hit by a car.
“They pretty much blew her right leg apart,” Sullivan said.
Star, battered, at least was found.
“There is a crime,” said Travis Anderson, wildlife conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Game Commission in Ligonier.
“It’s unlawful for a hunter to damage property of another person while they’re hunting,” he said Monday. “It’s no different if a farmer had a cow out and it was shot.”
Anderson said he believes somebody might have mistaken Star, 3, for a coyote. He said such damage-to-property crimes are fairly rare, with one or two pets shot in Somerset County each deer season.
Sullivan is not judgmental about whoever shot her dog.
“I am angry, don’t get me wrong,” she said. “But no one’s going to fess up to shooting her.
“I can deal with that (anger) later.”
Sullivan, acknowledging neighbors who have assisted in her search for the pup, said, “I just want to focus on what happened to the puppy.
“It’s been so cold out.”
