Family Devastated, Offering Reward After Their Dogs Are Shot
CONNELLSVILLE (KDKA) -- A Connellsville man is looking for answers after his dogs were shot and left for dead earlier this month.
Police are investigating, but the family is also offering a generous reward, hoping it will encourage someone to speak up.
Cooper is getting around today thanks to the Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital.
The 1-year-old English mastiff-shepherd mix had a paw amputated, but is ready to return home.
He and 7-year-old Bebe were shot on St. Patrick's Day. Both were found near their home on Reidmore Avenue.
Cooper was hiding under a tree, but Bebe was dead along the road. Her injuries were so bad, she was unrecognizable.
"It was said by our veterinarian that it was definitely a shotgun and the birdshot was so condensed in the shot that it had to have been close range," said Jeremey Ginnelly, the owner of the dogs. "So, it was definitely somebody right on top of the dog.
Ginnelly says his wife and five children were devastated.
"They're distraught; they're absolutely distraught," said Ginnelly. "I have four boys that are older and a daughter that's very young and this was… they were family pets. Cooper's still with us, thank God, but they were kids. They were just as much a part of the family as my children are."
But their focus quickly shifted from Bebe's death to Cooper's recovery.
"I've had people a couple times make custom-made pads or things for the ends of these limbs," Cooper's vet said.
They are now on a mission to find the person who hurt their pets.
"There will be speculation that 'Oh, it's just a dog,' but what is it going to be next time? Who are they going to shoot? Are they going to go into a school? McDonald's?" said Ginnelly.
Cooper has also captured the attention of the One Dog At a Time Rescue Group. Their members are now distributing fliers to help with the investigation.
As for Ginnelly, he doesn't want revenge but he does want justice.
"I could go on. I could write a book. I could tell them how much they broke our hearts, but they don't care. People like that just don't care," Ginnelly said.
The family is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
If you have information, contact Connellsville Police.
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