Bruce is currently under the care of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society after suffering a gunshot wound to his right rear leg, according to Allison Black Cornelius, the society's CEO.
"He was just an innocent bystander," Cornelius told AL.com.
Although veterinarians initially determined the puppy needed a pin or plate to save his leg -- which would cost between $2,800 and $4,000 -- GBHS said in an update on its Facebook page that the injury was more complicated than expected.
“The bullet that struck Bruce went directly through the bone causing it to shatter and severely damaging the joint,” the organization said in the Wednesday afternoon post. “After exploratory surgery Veterianian Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Paul Vaughn decided the best treatment for Bruce was to amputate the rear right leg. Although this outcome is not what we expected for Bruce, we are confident that he will adjust to his new life on three legs and find happiness in his forever home!”
Donations can be sent to GBHS on the organization's website. Those wanting to help the puppy can request that their donations go to Bruce's Recovery in the dropdown menu on the donate page. According to the group, donations that exceed the cost of Bruce's recovery will go toward helping other injured animals.
“We have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and gifts sent to aid Bruce in his recovery,” the organization said. “The hard truth is that Bruce is only one example of how violence in our community affects the lives of the pets who are innocently caught in the crossfire.”
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