Rescued Tri-City dog that was shot needs new foster home

Meet Toby.

He’s a 2-year-old German shepherd mix that was rescued from an abusive home, languished in a shelter and, just when he was settling in with a foster family, was shot by an intruder in a case that outraged the Tri-Cities.

Mikey’s Chance Canine Rescue, a Tri-City volunteer group that places dogs from the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter into homes, is seeking a new foster family for its hard-luck case.

Toby’s story began with his rescue from an abusive home by Tri-Cities Animal Control. He spent time at the animal shelter in Pasco, but grew so anxious that volunteer dog walkers contacted Mikey’s Chance about finding a better spot for him to await his forever family.

Mikey’s Chance placed him with a loving foster family, said Jessey Bement of Mikey’s Chance.

Toby was doing well in foster care, getting along swimmingly with the other dogs his size and his new family. But disaster struck last spring when his foster family found him bleeding from a bullet wound near the chest. He had apparently been shot at close range while romping in the family’s back yard.

Toby survived, thanks to treatment by local veterinarians and a stay at the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman.

The bullet remains lodged in Toby’s chest. Veterinarians having concluded it would be dangerous to operate. The dog is too traumatized by the experience to remain in his current foster home, Bement said.

Bement said Mikey’s Chance is looking for a calm home for Toby, one without children, cats, small dogs or even frequent visitors. Even the ringing of doorbells frightens him, she said.

Bement said the ideal new family should be experienced with dogs, and very patient.

“He basically needs a therapy human, someone who understands it’s going to take time for him to love them. It’s not going to be a right-away attachment.”

Those interested in fostering or adopting Toby should email mikeyschance@gmail.com

This story was originally published January 29, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Rescued Tri-City dog that was shot needs new foster home."