Sarge is a five-year-old labrador mix that was rescued from the streets in North Florida. From the local shelter, he was moved to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
No one really knew his past, but it didn’t matter to the staff. They loved the gentle pooch as he had an amazing character, and he was so affectionate. Sarge always had a ready smile, and his tail never stops wagging.
But during a routine neutering operation, they discovered that he may have been an abused dog.
Bigger than a BB
Before Sarge underwent his procedure, his vets performed a pre-surgical examination first. A surgeon felt a mass near his abdomen, but he didn’t think much of it. He thought that it was just a benign tumor which they could easily take out when he is undergoing surgery later on.
When they finally got around to removing the mass, the surgeon and the rest of the medical staff were shocked. Wrapped around some fatty tissue was a crushed bullet. It revealed to them that Sarge may have had an abusive owner or a cruel person shot the stray sometime before.
The vets couldn’t determine when the cruel act happened, but it could have already been quite some time as tissues have already formed around it. Fortunately for the dog, the bullet didn’t go in too far and was just right under his skin.
According to the vets, the bullet was bigger than a BB pellet, and it was the largest caliber that they have found embedded in a dog.
Amazing pooch
Another thing that left a huge impression on the shelter staff is the dog’s ability to overcome the hardships that he had gone through. Despite getting shot and most likely maltreated, Sarge had a very lovable personality. He never showed any aggression towards humans.
And thanks to this personality, Sarge is now living with his own loving family.
Source: HumaneSocietyTampaBay/FB
