Newfield, N.Y. — A dog shot in the head by a Newfield man last week is recovering, the SPCA of Tompkins County said in a statement Tuesday.
Jeffrey M. Wood, of Meadowbrook Lane in Newfield, has been charged with the felony of aggravated cruelty to animals, according to the SPCA.
Police say Wood shot the two-year-old German shepherd mix Lillie in the head twice with a .22 caliber long gun, the statement said.
Wood then reportedly left the dog in its yard overnight.
“This is a terrible crime. It breaks our hearts, but now our entire focus is on Lillie’s care. She is currently in stable condition and responding well,” the SPCA’s Executive Director Jim Bouderau said in a statement.
Bouderau said Lillie will need several more surgeries, including the repair of a wound to her soft palate “as well as the removal of one (potentially two) of her eyes due to the trauma caused by the gunshot wound.”
“We are optimistic that she will recover,” Bouderau said.
Tax-deductable gifts to support Lillie’s medical expenses can be made to the SPCA’s Angel Fund for Medical Emergencies online at www.spcaonline.com.
“We do not know the long term effects of her injuries at this point, and are continuing to work with our own team of veterinarians from the Maddies Fund Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell as well as specialists from the Cornell University Companion Animal Hospital.”