Dog Shot, Owners Want Answers

July 30 - An act of animal cruelty leaves a Wichita family in disbelief. Their dog was shot by a stranger for no reason. It's a crime that may go unpunished because there were no witnesses and no suspects.

Copper is a 3-year-old full blooded boxer. At nearly 100 pounds, he can be an intimidating dog. Now he's working with a handicap.

Owner Katherine McComb says these days, Copper is often suspicious and nervous. He can't see as well since someone shot him in the eye.

The shooting happened on the night of July 4. McComb let Copper out in the backyard around midnight to use the bathroom. Moments later, she heard him whimpering.

"First I was scared to death because his eye was full of blood and I couldn't figure out what happened," McComb said.

She rushed Copper to an emergency vet clinic where doctors had to remove his eye. In his sinus cavity, they found a single BB pellet. It's lodged there permanently.

Police say they're investigating, but with no witnesses and no suspects, McComb and Copper may never see justice. Under the new Magnum's Law, if somebody is caught they could face felony charges, punishable with jail time and hefty fines.

The injury has cost McComb nearly $1,000 in medical bills. The cost isn't what bothers McComb. Instead, she says it's the cowardice of whoever pulled the trigger and ran.

"He never hurt anybody. He was in his own backyard going potty, and he's not even safe in his own fenced in back yard," McComb said.

Copper's case has caught the attention of the Humane Society. McComb says they're looking into it and may offer a reward for information.