Dog Survives Crossbow to the Chest in Upstate New York, 2 Arrested

A rescue dog is lucky to be alive after being shot in the chest by a crossbow arrow while out on a walk with his owners.

Bogart, a 5-year-old hound mix is slowly recovering from a horrific ordeal. While out on a walk in Rochester  over the weekend, a crossbow arrow came out of nowhere and plunged into his torso.

Bogart was rushed to three separate vets before undergoing "extensive surgery" at Green Acres Veterinary Care in Tonawanda, according to a GoFundMe to help cover his veterinary costs:

Fortunately, the arrow missed all of Bogart's major organs, but he is in an oxygen kennel with a broken rib and is fighting for his life. He's not eating and is surely missing his family.

The fundraiser was set up by Bogart's former foster, Caryn Parsons, who adopted him out to his loving owners in 2021.

Below are X-ray photos of Bogart's chest, which Parsons provided on the GoFundMe page. Please note these images may be disturbing to some, so caution is advised.

The arrow luckily missed his "lungs, esophagus, and aorta," but it still caused extensive damage.

Greece Police have since arrested 56-year-old James Smith and 45-year-old Linnette Torres, who they say shot Bogart while doing target practice in their yard. The two have been charged with first-degree reckless endangerment.

Read More: How to Keep Your Pets Safe During Extreme New York Heat Wave

Torres was additionally charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, as it was allegedly her arrow that struck Bogart. Police say it appears neither party intentionally meant to hurt the dog, but they still behaved recklessly.

The ASPCA and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation may press additional charges following their investigation.

According to the latest GoFundMe update for Bogart, he is faring a lot better than before and is apparently no longer in critical condition.

He's still throwing up a bit but he did eat small amounts of baby food, turkey hot dogs and cottage cheese. He still needs the feeding tube for now. There's still a bit of fluid and air in his oxygen tubes so he also still needs those. The staff took him outside today to a turf area they have.

 

The hospital also said they'd cover the two days of Bogart's stay, which relieves a huge financial burden for his owners. It apparently cost the family $17,800 for the initial lifesaving surgery, anesthesia, and after care to save Bogart's life.

They paid an additional $3,300 for an additional procedure.

Bogart still has a long road to recovery ahead of him, but he appears to get stronger every day. He also apparently hates his feeding tube, so that could also be motivating him to get better.

Currently, the GoFundMe has a little ways to go before hitting its $25,000 goal. All the money will go toward Bogart's medical journey.

Townsquare Media is rooting for Bogart and hopes he recovers completely.

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