Wounded horse gets to go home

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - "It was such a senseless act of violence, I can't even comprehend," said Brad Land.

Land is still trying to figure out why anybody would shoot two horses multiple times. Land is a lifelong friend of the owner of the two horses. Last Wednesday, he received that heart-wrenching phone call.

"He said, 'Brad, there's been an accident. Something's happened out at the farm where Bobby keeps his horses. Apparently, one of them may be dead and the other may be hurt,'" Land said.

Sure enough, 3-year-old Sonny was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Lucy, his mother, didn't survive. Land said he and Bobby rushed Sonny to Purdue's Large Animal Hospital. He said he was immediately impressed with the staff.

"Every one of them was busy doing blood samples and looking for internal bleeding, shaving, and hooking up IVs. One of them just comforted the horse," Land added.

The staff's hard work paid off. Dr. Richard Hartman said when Sonny first arrived, he was in shock. He said as doctors worked with him throughout the week, Sonny started to heal.

"His attitude improved, his appetite improved, the swelling around his wounds improved while he was in the hospital. Just overall his appearance and attitude," Hartman said.

Sonny may have lost have his mother in the shooting. But Sonny got to go home to a loving, caring owner and friends.

Anderson Police are investigating the shooting. No arrests have been made at this time.