Pennsylvania SPCA offers $10,000 reward after dog shot, another found dead Southwest Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Pennsylvania SPCA is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the person who shot at least one dog in Southwest Philadelphia.

A second dog was found dead inside a trash bag, PSPCA officials said.

Alexia, the pit bull mix that survived, is now walking on three legs, but she's still determined to get around after someone shot her in the muzzle and leg last week.

"She really doesn't seem to be too bothered by her loss of limb. She's hobbling along on her little three legs, inspired to keep going," said Maddie Bernstein, PSPCA Director of Life Saving.

PSPCA officials said someone shot Alexia twice and left her to die on Monday, March 27.

A family living along the 1200 block of South 54th Street in Southwest Philadelphia found the badly injured dog after she crawled up the stairs to their front door.

"The odds were probably against her and she really pulled herself together," said Bernstein.

A couple of days later, PSPCA officials said, a second dog was discovered in a trash bag several blocks away after it was shot to death.

Officials believe the two incidents might be connected.

PSPCA officials helped Alexia learn how to walk on three legs after the limb was amputated.

"The majority of our animals come from humane law enforcement cases and we are absolutely bursting at the seams right now with animals, particularly dogs," said Bernstein.

Bernstein said last year, PSPCA saw the highest number of abused animals in over a decade.

They handled 3,700 abuse investigations and treated 1,800 animals from those cases.

Right now, numbers are almost on par to surpass totals from last year.

"It is pretty wild the lengths people will go to, to inflict damage or harm to an innocent creature," said Bernstein.

Bernstein said there's still hope for dogs like Alexia who have the will to keep going.

PSPCA is a non-profit supported by donations. They're jam-packed with animals and are asking for help with fostering animals, adopting them and volunteering on-site.

The money for the reward is being provided by an anonymous donor.

Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to contact the Pennsylvania SPCA's Cruelty Hotline at (866) 601-SPCA or email cruelty@pspca.org. Tips can be left anonymously.