Shot, abandoned Yukon dog recovering quickly

In Yukon, a young dog which was shot and abandoned at a community garbage dump is making a quick recovery.

Pelly the dog was dropped off at the animal shelter in Whitehorse three weeks ago.

The five-month-old pup had been found about 250 kilometres north of the city in the garbage dump outside the community of Pelly Crossing, Yukon.

Staff at a local veterinary determined she had been shot through the shoulder.

They had to amputate one of her front legs, but it doesnt seem to be slowing the dog down.

Her new owner, Jaime Brassard, says Pelly is already acting like any normal pup - eager to chase and play with other dogs.

"She came out and her tail was going and she was happy and she just kind of hopped along and the first run she took was kind of sideways which was funny," said Brassard.

Reward for information leading to person who shot Pelly

Jaime Brassard, who is a veterinary technician, said Pelly is a natural fit for her and her family.

But Brassard is still disturbed over how the puppy ended up the clinic where she works.

"Doing this for 13 years, I wish I could say I'm surprised that this happens but um, I'm not. I'm not surprised at the things a human being will do to an animal," she said.

Brassard said people who harm animals need to be held accountable for their actions.

The Yukon Humane Society is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to whoever shot Pelly.

The organizations president, Shelly Cuthbert, said members of an American animal rescue society who were recently in Whitehorse are handling the investigation.

"We gotta try. There's been too many animals that have been injured over the years. In the last four years that I've been around, there's been several animals that have been injured due to abuse, neglect, whatever the case may be where they end up with the amputations, or we end up having to euthanize because they're so ill," she said.

Both police and the animal shelter say the fact that the dog was shot and abandoned is not unusual in the North.