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Who Shot And Killed A Diabetic Teenage Girl's Service Dog?
“My grandpa went to pick him up, and there was blood,” said Hannah Westmoreland, who has had Journey since she was 12.
Somebody fatally shot a diabetic teen’s service dog and law enforcement wants to find out who.
The family of 15-year-old Hannah Westmoreland found the dog, named Journey, shot dead outside their Quinlan, Texas home on Sunday morning, according to Fox4 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Westmoreland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 8. She’s had Journey since she was 12.
Her mother Tina found Journey, then the family quickly realized the severity of his wound.
“My grandpa went to pick him up, and there was blood,” Hannah told Fox4. “We figured out there was a gunshot.”
The family brought the dog to an emergency animal hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“We’re just heartbroken,” Tina said. According to Fox4, the community had raised more than $10,000 for Tina, a single mother, and Hannah to obtain Journey.
Now, they are searching for answers as to why anyone would shoot the beloved service dog.
“There’s no good reason,” Tina told Fox4, adding that the dog was well-behaved. “None.”
Hannah and the dog reportedly did everything together. Tina said the dog had been helpful in helping her daughter with her condition.
“Having a diabetic is like [having] an infant. A 15-year-old infant,” she told Fox4. “You’re checking a couple times a night. You’re making sure you’re adjusting. You’re making sure they’re eating before bed. Journey just kind of helped with a peace of mind.”
According to Justice4Journey, a Facebook page dedicated to the slain dog, Journey also assisted Hannah when she was a cheerleader at Quinlan High School.
“The Westmoreland Family would like to thank everyone for the overflow of love, support, prayers and condolences that have been sent,” the family wrote through the Facebook page. “Words cannot begin to express how humbled we are.”
There is a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of Journey’s killer, according to the Hunt County Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information is urged to call Hunt County Crime Stoppers at 903-457-2929. All tips are anonymous.
[Photo: Hunt County Crime Stoppers]
