Earless Puppy Goes Home

The earless puppy Cher is being adopted, but her brother Sunny, who was found mutilated in a similar manner, has a bit longer to wait, officials said Thursday.

The mutilated pit-bull puppies have been in the news since they were found last month. On Thursday, the San Diego County Department of Animal Services announced that the female puppy was spayed earlier in the day and would be going home with her new adopter on Thursday night. Officials said she was moving ahead of her brother Sunny in the adoption process because his energetic, rambunctious behavior prevented her from returning to their shared foster family.

Officials have not identified the names of the adopters.

Sunny was found in Mission Valley last month, but Cher was discovered in Tijuana. Officials at the San Diego County of Animal Services believe the dogs, which are now thought to be around a couple months old, are littermates.
 
Cher was being cared for at a Tijuana veterinary hospital until early December, when a worker from that facility brought her over the border in the hopes that Cher could become a part of the adoption process already under way for her Sunny.

Sunny was found in a Dumpster in the Mission Valley Target parking lot.

During surgery, animal caregivers also found blood in the dog's lungs, so they suspect the puppy sustained some other abuse, possibly blunt force trauma, prior to the incident in which his ears were cut off.

Veterinarians suspect the puppy’s ears were probably cut off with either a pair of scissors or a serrated knife, Animal Control Lt. Daniel DeSousa said after Sunny was found.

Patricia Garcia and her family found the puppy as they left the Target store in Mission Valley. The family heard whimpering coming from a nearby Dumpster and found the 1-month-old puppy inside.

Sunny's medical care was covered by the department's Spirit Fund, which helps the department care for animals with special medical needs. If you would like to donate to the fund, contact the department of animal services.
 

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