A stray dog that was found covered in blood last week was discovered to have been shot twice — once in the face and once in the chest — but the wounds did not prove to be fatal, according to a Canyon County Animal Shelter veterinary technician. But the treatment for the dog will top $3,000, so the shelter is hoping the public will pitch in to cover the costs.

The female dog, which has been named Winnie, was brought into the shelter by animal control last Friday. She's a 3- to 5-year-old purebred Akita, said lead veterinary technician Cherisse Faulkner.

Though the dog was covered in blood when she was brought in, she was wagging her tail. The staff examining her initially thought she'd been in a dog fight.

"She was very stoic. She didn't show any signs of pain at all," Faulkner said. There was also no signs of facial or chest swelling, as one might expect in the immediate aftermath of gunshot wounds, she said.

But upon examination, they discovered that she had been shot through the muzzle. The bullet went through her tongue and lodged in her jaw. Another bullet went in and out the surface of her chest, missing all critical organs.

No information was immediately available on whether local law enforcement officials are investigating the shooting of the dog.

The dog is expected to make a full recovery, and she should be ready to go to a new home in a few weeks.

If you would like to contribute to help cover her medical care, send checks to: Winnie, Canyon County Animal Shelter, 5801 Graye Lane, Caldwell ID 83607, call 455-5520, or or e-mail the shelter info@canyoncountyshelter.org to get a link to the Pay Pal account for Winnie. Here's a link to the shelter's Web site. There is a Pay Pal link on the lower right hand side of the page.

Katy Moeller: 377-6413