27-Year-Old Man, 3-Month-Old Dog Shot In Philadelphia, Police Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The latest victims of Philadelphia's gun violence epidemic includes a 3-month-old puppy. Police say the dog and a 27-year-old man were both struck by stray gunfire Tuesday night in the 2600 block of North Warnock Street.
Both the dog and the man are in stable condition, although the coast isn't yet clear for the puppy named Ruby.
"Just after 9 p.m., police were notified that a shooting victim showed up at Temple Hospital by a private auto," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The adult male victim ran from the scene and flagged down a driver who took him to Temple University Hospital. Temple then contacted Philadelphia police, and when officers questioned the victim, he told them where he was shot, police went to the scene.
"They found some blood and they also found a 3-month-old puppy on the street," Small said.
There's where Noah's Ark Rescue Project and Sanctuary, also known as NARPS, enters the story.
"As you know, one of my wonderful volunteers with NARPS reached out to me to get approval for us to move forward with taking on this puppy," NARPS President Candace Scheirer said.
Officers rushed Ruby, the puppy who was shot once and was badly bleeding, to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital.
"Vet hospitals like University of Penn, typically for them to treat and take on something like Ruby and in her condition, they will reach out to rescue organizations," Scheirer said.
Ruby is lucky that the bullet missed her spine and all vital organs. She is alive and stable but could require additional surgeries.
"It comes at a huge cost to us. Ruby, for instance, our estimate is $7,000 to $10,000," Scheirer said.
That's where you could enter, either by donating to help Ruby or by becoming a foster home for rescues like a Ruby.
"She is hospitalized right now in the ICU," Scheirer said. "It is definitely a wait and see."
You can contact NARPS via email at noahsarps@gmail.com, on their website and on Facebook.