Authorities looking for suspect in connection to an extreme case of animal abuse

OOLTEWAH, Tennessee(WDEF) – A certified therapy dog is finally out of the hospital and recovering after it was shot, stabbed and beaten.

Hours after 8-year old Momma Dog was released from the hospital, she walked out the front door of her home with her owner Katherine Zwitter. Momma Dog was still getting use to wearing a large cone around her head. The cone was in place to keep her from biting and licking the area on her body where she suffered serious injures.

Earlier this week, Momma Dog was being walked along a street near her home when she suddenly came lose from her leash and ran away. Her owner said the animal hobbled back to her home by herself in serious condition.

"She came back a bloody mess. I thought she had been hit by car," Zwitter said.

Momma Dog was immediately taken to an animal hospital where a veterinarian made a startling discovery.

"When they did X-rays, they found a bullet inside of her," Zwitter said.

The vet also discovered the dog was stabbed in the back of the leg and beaten.

Momma dog is a certified therapy animal that works with mentally ill patients. Now that she’s finally out of the hospital, her owners are worried that she may have suffered from post traumatic stress.

"I haven’t had her around any other people than our family. I’m worried there might be some damage to her when it comes to trusting humans as a result of this incident.I hate that when I first found her, she was so badly abused. It took me a year to get her socialized, and now being shot and stabbed; what this could do to her," Zwitter said.

The dog’s owner is going public about the attack because she hopes someone will come forward with information that could lead to an arrest.

News 12 contacted the Educational Humane Society right after talking to Zwitter. H.E.S. Executive Director Bob Citrullo said his officers will conduct a full investigation.

So far, there is no suspect information.

If anyone has information about the attack, they’re asked to contact the Humane Educational Society at 423-624-5302.