ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque dog reunited with her owners on Tuesday after undergoing multiple operations, including a leg amputation, due to injuries she received in a drive-by shooting.
Halo, a 10-year-old American pit bull mix, was struck by a bullet on Nov. 3 while at home in the middle of the night. “Halo and her mothers were a victim of a senseless shooting, a drive-by that happened in the middle of the night while they were all asleep in bed. And when Halo heard the shots, she actually jumped on the bed to protect her moms. Unfortunately, she and one of her moms were struck by bullets,” explained Madison Beets, associate director of marketing for Animal Humane New Mexico.
Halo was hit to the front shoulder and was first taken to the emergency vet and then to Animal Humane New Mexico, where she had two surgeries. Veterinary staff got Halo into emergency surgery in an attempt to repair the bone fracture in her leg; however, more surgery was needed to help Halo.
“Unfortunately, after a couple weeks, we did note that while we hoped to save the leg, she appeared to have suffered nerve damage as she was unable to use the leg. And the plate had slipped from its position. So she actually received an amputation just yesterday and recovered overnight in our clinic,” said Beets.
Animal Humane New Mexico, which is a private nonprofit organization, covered the cost of Halo’s medical care she received. Beets also said anyone in the community who may be struggling with caring for their pets can reach out to Animal Humane New Mexico, where staff will provide assistance and resources to pet owners.
For more information about Animal Humane New Mexico or to donate to their mission, click here.