
UPDATE: The medical team was able to remove the bullet from Fred's face, but he will need follow up care to ensure he heals well. Due to the nature of the investigation, that is all we can share at this time. We will post any additional updates here.
Fred is fighting for his life after being shot in the face Monday morning in Baltimore City.
On Monday morning, Baltimore City Animal Control responded to a call about a stray dog who was found laying on a porch covered in blood in the West Forest Park neighborhood. There was no response when they knocked on the door, but neighbors said they had never seen the dog before.
Officers at the scene noted it appeared that the blood was originating from the dog’s face, mainly his mouth and nose. He was rushed to BARCS where we named him Fred. Our veterinary team examined Fred and determined that he needed to be transferred immediately to the ER.
Under the emergency care of our Franky Fund partner hospital, X-rays confirmed our worst fears--Fred’s facial injury was from a bullet wound. Someone had shot Fred in the face, just to the right of his nose. They believed the gunshot wound was fresh and likely happened that morning or the night before.
While Fred was at the ER, our team was tracing his microchip information. It lead us to a distraught owner who had been feverishly searching for her missing dog since the day before. She was beside herself to find out that her big, sweet, loving boy had been shot.
Fred is still under our care at the Franky Fund hospital. BARCS is seeking donations to pay for Fred’s emergency care and surgery to save his life. His owner, like so many of us now, is dealing with financial hardships and is only able to contribute a small portion to his veterinary bills. We understand that this is an extraordinary circumstance and want to help this family get their beloved dog back and get Fred the care he needs.
We are seeking donations to do just that: help with Fred’s emergency care so that he can return to his family. We have lost tremendous funding in the past month and simply can’t do this without your help: https://barcs.org/urgent-care/
Additionally, Baltimore City Animal Control and Baltimore City Police are seeking leads to who shot poor Fred. They are asking that if you have any information about this case to please call 311. You are able to remain anonymous.
We know that it is difficult to read about injured and abused animals, especially those victims of violence involving guns. It's hard for us too—we never get "used to" the things we see each day. We thank each and every one of you who support our shelter so that we can save animals like Fred.
Even if you are not able to give at this time, you can help our community by sharing this story with your network and taking a step offline to speak to a young person in your life about kindness to animals.
Together we can be a loud voice to stop abuse and build a more humane Baltimore.
Any donations exceeding the cost of Fred’s care will be put towards our Franky Fund to help 1,000 other special needs animals this year.