X-Ray Reveals Unimaginable Abuse Of Shelter Stray

Edgecomb, ME – Lady, a young black Labrador, was recently found wandering the Waldoboro, Maine area near Orffs Corner by Waldoboro Animal Control Officer Laurice Ducharme. She was taken to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter for processing.

First glance of the animal showed no obvious signs or evidence of mistreatment. However, a more thorough examination of the Lab later revealed an unimaginable roadmap of otherwise hidden abuse.

X-rays taken of Lady clearly exposed a body riddled with several dozen BBs still lodged in place – scores of them from nose to tail. All told, based on the vet’s best assessment, Lady had been shot with 80 to 100 brass BBs. Amazingly, none of the rounds caused any major damage to the animal’s vasculature or vital organs.

Lady was first transferred to Boothbay to be spayed. Oddities discovered during a routine physical spurred the vet to have x-rays done – noticing something wasn’t quite right when he felt an abnormal bump under the skin of the dog’s nose.

Images revealed the startling truth that Lady’s head alone contained nearly 50 tiny metal rounds. Somehow she managed to not suffer injury to either of her eyes – though the animal’s eyelids, as well as the rest of her body, had scars from the penetrating and glancing BBs.

Maine authorities, with the help of the Lincoln County Animal Control Office, are attempting to track down the perpetrators who obviously intentionally set out to torture the one-year-old dog before abandoning her. Officers are determined to bring anyone responsible for this abuse to justice.

Lady has since been adopted by Peter Blanton, who took her in shortly after having to put his own 8-year-old Lab to sleep. Missing the companionship, Blanton visited the shelter and came upon Lady, who reminded him of his beloved Lab.

Boothbay Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Dean Domeyer, who treated Lady, initially wanted to leave the BBs in place, finding the procedure to excise them more traumatic.

However, concerns of the metal type, whether they are brass or lead, will have to be determined and thereupon a decision will be made to remove the pellets if they are in fact lead and not brass. There are plans to remove a few superficial rounds and have them tested.

[Images via Lincoln County Animal Shelter Facebook]