$2,500 Reward Now Offered In Horrific Wisconsin Dog Abuse Case

If you're like me, then you find dog abuse stories to be among the hardest things to read. They tend to hit with equal parts sadness and anger — sadness for an animal that trusted the wrong person, and anger that anyone could be capable of such cruelty.

The story of a dog named Sunny, found badly wounded in rural Wisconsin, is one of those stories.

Before I tell you Sunny's story and the reward now being offered, a tip of the hat is owed to two animal-welfare organizations going to bat for Sunny: the Center for a Humane Economy and the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project.

Together, they're offering a $2,500 reward to help bring whoever did this to justice, and their work is a reminder that people are fighting for animals that can't speak for themselves.

The Horrific Story Of Sunny

Sunny was found on July 15 in a field along a road in the Town of Maple Grove, in rural Shawano County in eastern Wisconsin, not the Minneapolis suburb of the same name.

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Reports indicate the brown, 35-pound, mixed-breed dog, believed to be about 8 years old, was discovered with eight gunshot wounds, a broken leg, and other traumatic injuries.

Investigators believe the injuries happened two to four days before this poor dog was found. Sunny received emergency treatment from Specialized Veterinary Care of Shawano and is now in the care of the Shawano County Humane Society.

His condition has since stabilized, though a ninth gunshot wound was later discovered and additional surgery was scheduled.

If there's a silver lining in all this, it's that a microchip was traced to a prior out-of-state owner, and a new forever home is already lined up for Sunny once he's healthy enough to leave veterinary care. As of now, the Sheriff's Office says there are no known witnesses or suspects.

"There is no justification for the abhorrent acts committed against Sunny, and we are asking that anyone with information about this horrendous act come forward," said Paul Collins, the Wisconsin state director for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. "We want to see the person(s) responsible for this brought to justice without delay."

$2,500 Now Being Offered

That's where the reward comes in. The Center for a Humane Economy and the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project are offering $2,500 for information leading to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of whoever is responsible for shooting and abusing Sunny. Hopefully, that incentive can help keep people talking about this case and find who's responsible.

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If you know anything, there are two ways to help. You can contact the Shawano County Sheriff's Department directly at (715) 526-3111, or send a tip to tips@animalwellnessaction.org. Even a small detail could be the piece investigators need.

As Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project executive director Eilene Ribbens put it, a person capable of this level of cruelty to an innocent animal also poses a threat to the community.