Current:Home > NewsA Husky is unable to bark after he was shot in the snout by a neighbor in Phoenix -WealthPro Academy
A Husky is unable to bark after he was shot in the snout by a neighbor in Phoenix
View
Date:2025-04-15 00:24:41
An Arizona family's husky is being praised as a hero after he was shot in the snout by a neighbor just feet away from a 12-year-old.
Falco, a 2-year-old Siberian Husky was barking and playing in the backyard with his owner's, Hailey Hernandez, son Alex, when a shot went off last Sunday.
“That day, Falco was our hero,” Hernandez told KPNX. “He protected my son. He put himself in harms way.”
Hernandez told KKTV, the bullet had gone through Falco's "nose pallet and lodged into his tongue, which there are fragments of the bullet and bones still stuck in his tongue and upper jaw.”
The sound of the shooting was captured on a neighbor's surveillance system. In it, Falco could be heard barking, before the shot goes off, and then he's heard whimpering.
Animal cruelty:Puppy found days after being tossed from car window outside North Carolina shelter; man charged
'I thought my dog was gone'
“I thought my dog was gone,” Hernandez told KKTV.
The dog was rushed to the vet and survived, but is now unable to bark or make any noises, KPNX reported.
The Phoenix Police Department did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment, but told the local outlets officers arrested a 45-year-old man who lived several houses down from Hernandez.
Police said they found the man noticeably intoxicated in his backyard. He was unwilling to cooperate, KKTV reported.
KPNX reported that police noticed that one of the suspect's “fingers was bleeding and there was blood on his pants.” The injury was from a dog bite, but the suspect was not bitten by Falco, who was inside his gate and hadn't left the yard.
The man had allegedly put his hand through another neighbor's fence where his finger was bitten, KPNX reported, citing court documents.
More:Puppy found days after being tossed from car window outside North Carolina shelter; man charged
Police also found a gun in the man's back pocket that had the same caliber bullets as the one used to shoot Falco.
Alex was only about 10 feet away from Falco when he was shot, and the court documents noted that he could have easily been hit by the bullet, KPNX reported.
“It’s cruel, it’s evil. There has to be something wrong with you to come over here and shoot a dog in front of a family,” Hernandez said. “It could have been my son and not my dog.”
The suspect faces several charges including animal cruelty and endangerment.
veryGood! (289)
Related
- Jury selection set for Monday for ex-politician accused of killing Las Vegas investigative reporter
- Small business disaster loan program said to be in danger of running out of funds by end of month
- Bigger or stronger? How winds will shape Hurricane Milton on Tuesday.
- California home made from wine barrels, 'rustic charm' hits market: See inside
- Vance jokes he’s checking out his future VP plane while overlapping with Harris at Wisconsin airport
- Education Pioneer Wealth Society: Transforming Wealth Growth through AI-Enhanced Financial Education and Global Insights
- 3 killed when a medical helicopter headed to pick up a patient crashes in Kentucky
- The biggest reveals in Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir, from Elvis to Michael Jackson
- A Georgia governor’s latest work after politics: a children’s book on his cats ‘Veto’ and ‘Bill’
- Takeaways from AP’s investigation into fatal police incidents in one Midwestern city
Ranking
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Bought Pyrex glass measuring cups? You may be getting a refund from the FTC.
- Jason Kelce Claps Back at Critics Saying Travis Kelce's Slow Start on Chiefs Is Due to Taylor Swift
- 'Completely out of line': Malachi Moore apologizes for outburst in Alabama-Vanderbilt game
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Defendant pleads no contest in shooting of Native activist at protest of Spanish conquistador statue
- States sue TikTok, claiming its platform is addictive and harms the mental health of children
- Why Lisa Marie Presley Kept Son Benjamin Keough's Body on Dry Ice for 2 Months After His Death
Recommendation
Daughter of Utah death row inmate navigates complicated dance of grief and healing before execution
'Time is running out': Florida braces for monster Hurricane Milton. Live updates
Sean “Diddy” Combs Hotline Gets 12,000 Calls in 24 Hours, Accusers' Lawyer Says
Bought Pyrex glass measuring cups? You may be getting a refund from the FTC.
North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
NFL Week 5 winners, losers: What's wrong with floundering 49ers?
New charges filed against Chasing Horse just as sprawling sex abuse indictment was dismissed
Jennifer Aniston’s Favorite Vital Proteins Collagen Powder Is Just $19 in a Prime Day Flash Sale