Community Rallies Around Little Dog Shot By Sheriff's Deputy
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CONWAY, Ark. (CBS Local) — A community in Arkansas is rallying around a little chihuahua after the dog was shot by a sheriff's deputy.
Faulkner County Deputy Keenan Wallace was responding to a call about an aggressive dog in Conway on Friday afternoon when he shot the dog.
Graphic cellphone video of the encounter shows Wallace opening fire on Reese's within feet of her owner, Doug Canady.
Faulkner County Sheriff Tim Ryals fired Wallace the next day, saying he had determined there were "numerous opportunities to de-escalate the incident."
Reese's survived, but faces big medical bills. The surgery alone to fix her shattered jaw is upwards of $10,000.
Meagan Harris, a resident in the Shiloh Estates neighborhood, was just down the street when the shooting happened.
"Watching your dog lay in a ditch, bleeding, suffering - it's horrible," she told KATV. "I can't imagine it. I don't know what I would do in [Doug Canady's] shoes."
Harris set up a GoFundMe account to cover Reese's medical expenses. The original goal was $2,500. Now, it's at over $21,000.
"It's touching. I didn't know it would go this far," a tearful Harris said.