Anything happening to our pet friends can be devastating. Animals are innocent beings who cannot always defend themselves, especially when attacked with a weapon.
Sadly, there are people out there who hurt animals without any reason and enjoy it.
Billy Morris was feeding the chickens he houses on his mini-farm at his property in Oak Grove, Alabama. It was his usual morning but something immediately felt off when he saw his dog Cotton, walking up to him slowly.
When the dog got closer, Morris said he saw something shocking. “When he turned broadside, I noticed that’s when he had an object sticking out of his side,” he said.
The 4-year-old Great Pyrenees had an arrow sticking out of his side. Morris firmly believes it was no accident and a deliberate attack on his sweet dog.
“He was hardly breathing. He actually laid down at my feet and, in that moment, I knew he was in serious trouble,” the veteran recounted.
Morris is a disabled military veteran. At that moment, his training immediately kicked in and he wrapped his dog up and rushed him to the vet.
Morris and Cotton are incredibly close as the dog serves as the veteran’s support dog and has helped him in his most difficult times.
“I was afraid I was going to lose my dog,” the worried veteran said, adding, “I actually had to start breathing mouth to muzzle on the way to the veterinary clinic. He was less than 20% breathing capacity. I was practically breathing for him.”
Morris said his dog’s lung had collapsed. Thankfully, the vet was able to stabilize the dog and he is now recovering.
But Morris still remains in disbelief that someone would hurt his loving pet.
He said, “Just knowing somebody is mentally unstable in that capacity and just demented to do something like that.” Believing that whoever tried to hurt the animal could not have been mentally stable.
Morris was distraught even at the thought of losing his buddy. The veteran deals with PTSD and is currently going through a divorce, and says his dog has been a support for him through these hard times.
Morris said, “When my son’s not here, it’s just me and him. He follows me around the farm here. I just enjoy his company. He’s part of the family.”
Morris said all his neighbors know Cotton, who is a very friendly dog and roams the neighborhood regularly.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the situation since this does not seem to be an isolated incident. Morris has reported that another neighbor went through something similar. He wants the perpetrator apprehended before they seriously hurt another animal!
Anything happening to our furry friend is enough to riddle us with worry. We wish Cotton a speedy recovery!
Share Morris and Cotton’s story with your friends!
