Source : Perth Now news
A farmer is offering a $20,000 reward after his dog was shot in a suspected drive-by shooting at a nursery in regional Victoria.
Farmer Tom Powell was serving customers when he heard one of his dogs howling and went to went to investigate.
He found his dog Daisy with wounds to her body. A vet later told him a bullet entered Daisy’s thigh and exited near her stomach.
“I rode my four-wheel drive motorbike around the corner, and eight of my dogs all followed me,” he said.
“There were two customers about 8.40am down in the potted area of the nursery waiting for me and two staff members weeding garlic.
“As I turned the corner and headed towards the customers I could hear the dog howling, and I said, ‘I have to come back and find out what’s going on here.’
“Unfortunately, Daisy was collateral damage.
“She had a bullet wound in her leg and out through her stomach.”
A vet told the farmer the dog was likely running when she was struck by a bullet that made a large hole and in the dog’s thigh before exiting through a smaller hole in its stomach.
The incident happened on May 15 this year at the Beechworth nursery, about 285km northeast of Melbourne, and Mr Powell is now offering a $20,000 to find the alleged perpetrators to help him “sleep at night.”
The farmer said they had a lot of land at their property and it was unlikely someone nearby was shooting wild rabbits.
“We believe it’s a drive-by shooting,” he said.
The farmer said his children worked at the nursery and he often had grandchildren and dogs running about the property.
“Since it’s happened you want to be able to have a peaceful sleep,” he said.
“I am glad it was only Daisy in one respect, it could have been a lot worse.”
Mr Powell said Daisy has almost made a full recovery but was a little skittish in the area where the incident happened.
“Please help us find the person responsible. Even the smallest piece of information could make all the difference,” he said.Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.
