On June 28, around noon, Marilyn Widdifield and her family were enjoying the Canada Day long-weekend - a time for celebration and fun.
But this family's holiday was anything but relaxing when her daughter's dog, Marli, came home with bloody wounds on her face.
“She had been shot in the face,” said Widdifield.
At first, the owners were unsure of what had happened to Marli, but after an emergency visit to the vet, they discovered the wounds were from a gun. The doctor informed them that the dog had been shot and would need reconstructive surgery. Marli's face may be paralyzed as a result of the injury.
“They (the vets) were surprised she lived,” said Widdifield.
Widdifield's two dogs and Marli, her daughter's 10-year-old English Setter, went for a walk down to the neighbours, and Marli came back, 20 minutes later, with the gun shot wound.
The Lake Panache resident phoned the Greater Sudbury Police Service and after an investigation, officers could not find any information about the incident.
“I want to find out who did this,” Widdifield said.
Widdifield has put fliers up in her community of Whitefish and is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the person or persons who disfigured Marli for life.
She is clueless as to who could have shot the dog, as she is familiar with most neighbours.
Widdifield is sure the incident took place near her home since the dogs were gone less than a half hour.
Widdifield's other dogs were not injured.
She is asking anyone with information on the incident to phone the Greater Sudbury Police Service at 675-9171 or Widdifield at 866-2183.
“She (Marli) is a rescued pet from a puppy mill, so she has had a rough life and now to have this happen to her...” Widdifield said.
