Maui woman seeks $10,000 for shot dog

Christina Wright is asking a neighbor to cover a $10,000 veterinary bill after her dog was shot on Maui last month. Wright says she knows who fired the weapon and wants him to pay for the medical care that kept her pet alive.

The victim is Pua, a two-year-old, eight-pound Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix. Vets removed a metal-looking object from the dog's side. Wright said the projectile passed through her chest, diaphragm, pancreas, liver, and colon.

Wright described the moment she saw the shooter. She was driving down the street when her neighbor emerged from her property, waving his hand and yelling at someone across the street. He held an object in his hand and retreated into his house when he noticed her.

An anonymous witness heard a pop followed by Pua's scream. The witness saw the man speed-walking with a black pistol in his right hand. He described it as an air handgun. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation.

Wright rushed Pua to a clinic immediately after the incident. She noted that the dog is her best friend and a source of family support in a new environment. She did not want to lose her companion.

The Maui Police Department is handling the case, according to the Maui Humane Society. Arrest records show a man was booked for cruelty to animals last week and released pending further investigation. The offense is a class C felony with a maximum prison sentence of five years. The neighbor was not home for a comment and has not been charged.

Wright says she lives paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford the full cost of the surgery. She is demanding the neighbor pay the full $10,000 bill.