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Adopted Maltese Dog Is Shot And Left For Dead

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Warning: This article features disturbing images

A dog that was brutally shot has now passed away after attempts by the vet to save his life were not enough. 

Chiko the adopted husky mix dog had returned home on Friday with a massive gunshot wound to the left side of his stomach after he had wandered off near his owner’s fields in the Ta’ Zwejt area of Magħtab, near the owner’s horse riding stables.

Chiko’s owner’s sister, Sabrina Demanuele, said that on the day her sister Stephanie had even thought he might have run away since he had wandered so far out of sight and it wasn’t usual for him to do so.

“But when he was shot, Chiko made his way back to my sister…I don’t know how he even made it back,” she told Lovin Malta. “He was petrified, looking at my sister and then at his wound, as if he was telling her ‘look at what they did to me'”.

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Photo: Dr Rose Bonanno (APH Veterinary Hospital, Ta’ Qali)

They called the vet and have filed a police report, but Sabrina believes that Chiko was shot and killed by a hunter or trapper. The X-rays they took of the dog found high amounts of lead in his body, which she says matches the ammunition typically used by hunters.

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Photo: Dr Rose Bonanno (APH Veterinary Hospital, Ta’ Qali)

The rural area that Sabrina and Chiko were in is typically used by hunters to hunt, and Sabrina said that “there’s many fields and hunters in the area.” 

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Ta’ Zwejt, Magħtab

“Plus, the dog did not go into someone’s farm or kill any chickens or anything…when he got shot he came from open fields,” she said.

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Photo: Dr Rose Bonanno (APH Veterinary Hospital, Ta’ Qali)

Chiko passed away last night. 

Chiko will be remembered as an intelligent, loving, energetic dog who enjoyed going for walks and playing around.

Sabrina said she that last night she had received a heartbreaking phone call from the vet,” informing her that Chiko had passed away, and that she wanted to share these images of the wound to “show you what monstrous people we have living amongst us.”

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After the loss of her dog, she said her family was “heartbroken”, and said she “can’t believe people can be so cruel to such beautiful, kind and loving creatures.”

“You have no idea how much hatred I’m feeling right now,” she said. “How can we trust these people with such dangerous weapons? When they know that it’s very untraceable and they can kill anything for the thrill? What did our Chiko do to deserve the pain he’s been through? Animals lives are in our hands, we are their guardians, we are their voice, we need to speak up and be heard.”

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This comes after three dogs were left for dead in just one week last month. Regular appearances of abused dogs in Malta are becoming the norm, and unless enforcement is put into place, we can expect to continue hearing atrocious stories of this nature. 

What do you think should be done about this epidemic of dog cruelty in Malta? Let us know in the comments below.

READ NEXT: Three Dogs Left For Dead Within A Week in Malta

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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