The dog who was found shot in the head and face with a pellet gun, stuffed in a garbage bag and left to die earlier this month was released from a Texas veterinary clinic on Saturday, following eye surgery paid for by a Facebook campaign.
The 3-year-old male mixed breed--nicknamed "Buck"--had the estimated $3,000-to-$5,000 surgery at the North Houston Veterinary Clinic on Thursday to repair entry wounds to both of his eyes.
"Buck is sleeping comfortably now," Tami Augustyn, the woman who first rushed him to the hospital and has since adopted him, wrote on Facebook. "He's been through a lot this past 7 days and he deserves the rest to help him continue to heal."
It's too early to tell if Buck's vision was permanently damaged, according to Dr. Marc Rainbow, the ophthalmologist who performed the surgery.
The bag containing the dog was discovered tied to a fence in Conroe, Texas, earlier this month. When local residents opened the bag, the canine emerged, took a few steps and collapsed, according to the Montgomery County Police Reporter.
Buck was covered in blood, Augustyn said, leading her to believe he was a "bait dog"—or a dog used by fighting dogs for practice.
Augustyn rushed Buck to an emergency animal clinic, where he was treated for multiple bird-shot pellets to the face, eyes, mouth, neck and shoulders, and hypothermia from being left outside overnight.
Buck's Facebook page--Buck Needs Bucks for his Buckshot Injuries--has attracted more than 40,000 "likes" since its Jan. 5 launch. And Augustyn says she's received more than enough money in donations to cover his treatment.
"To everyone wanting to donate for Buck, please be advised I have raised more than enough money for even the worst case scenario," Augustyn wrote on Facebook. "The generosity of everyone and the outpouring of love and support has given me the opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream."
She's since created the Buck Foundation to help other animals like Buck, assist rescue organizations and raise awareness about animal cruelty.
Montgomery County police say they are continuing to investigate the incident.
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