(UPDATE: Oct. 22 @ 1:25 pm) - Over $6,000 has been raised to support a Vancouver Island couple whose dogs were shot over the weekend.
Gabe Nelson and Kaylee Peaker are searching for answers after Silo and Rip were both shot in the chest around noon on Sunday near their home in Sooke.
Silo did not survive the shooting, while Rip is currently fighting for his life at an emergency veterinarian hospital in the Greater Victoria Area.
Gabe's sister Jordyn, who created the GoFundMe to support the couple, says Rip made it home "crying out in pain" and Silo was later found dead in a neighbour's driveway.
The RCMP is investigating the incident and, in a media release issued Tuesday, S/Sgt. Greg Willcocks called the set of circumstances "very concerning."
"We don’t have many answers right now. We don’t know who did this or why," Jordyn wrote in the GoFundMe. "What we do know is that these were harmless, loving dogs, and our family is heartbroken trying to understand how anyone could do such a thing."
Jordyn says the GoFundMe was created to help Gabe and Kaylee cover Rip's emergency vet bills and end-of-life costs for Silo. If you would like to donate, click here.
(Original story: Oct. 21 @ noon) - Mounties on Vancouver Island are investigating the shooting of a pair of dogs in Sooke over the weekend that killed one and seriously injured the other.
The RCMP was alerted to the incident around noon on Sunday and surveillance footage from the scene in the 2500 block of Farmer Drive showed a grim scene.
Shots could be heard in the area at 11:46 am, which was followed shortly after by one of the two dogs collapsing on a neighbouring driveway.
Police have seized possession of the dog that was killed and a necropsy is planned in the coming days.
According to the RCMP, the investigation is “in its infancy” and efforts are ongoing to determine who’s responsible.
“At the outset, these set of circumstances seem very concerning and we will continue to seek clarity on why this happened and whether it was criminal in nature,” said S/Sgt. Greg Willcocks.
“Anyone who may have seen anything who has yet to speak with police is asked to call us immediately.”
Police are urging any witnesses, including those with relevant surveillance or dash cam footage from the area around noon on Sunday, to come forward and contact the Sooke RCMP at 250-642-5241.
