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Cabela, the dog shot and left for dead, survives surgery with four legs

 
A photo of Cabela posted to Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service's Facebook page on Thursday, taken before surgery. [Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service, via Facebook]
A photo of Cabela posted to Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service's Facebook page on Thursday, taken before surgery. [Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service, via Facebook]
Published March 6, 2015

TAMPA — Good news from the Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service clinic: Cabela, the pit bull mix who was shot twice and strapped to train tracks near E Eskimo Drive this week, made it through surgery safely — and with all four legs.

Veterinarians had said that they expected to amputate one of the dog's limbs. But early Friday, the clinic announced an update to a case that to that point had generated little cause for anything but grief.

"Cabela came through surgery with flying colors and four legs," the clinic posted on its Facebook page. "The surgeon decided to pin it instead of amputation. It will be 6 to 8 weeks before we know whether she will regain full use and motion."

Police found the young dog, thought to be about 2 years old, on Wednesday ( tbtim.es/f29) . Since then, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and CrimeStoppers have offered rewards for any information that helps authorities arrest the person or people who shot Cabela and left the dog for dead.