'Journey' the dog recovers slowly after being used for shotgun practice

His name is Journey and the journey he has been on is heartbreaking. For five years, people sat back and watched the three-legged Cattle dog living on the street in Bloomington.

Sleeping on rocks and gravel thru the hot summers and cold winters.

Once upon a time Journey did have a family but when they moved, they left him behind and the new residents put him on the street.

And that's where he lived...directly in front of his old home watching the new dogs play in what used to be his yard.

A passerby would feed him leftover Mexican food from the restaurant where he worked so he didn't starve but he was very sick.

Until a kind woman named Sonia noticed. She reached out to Faith Easdale, a rescuer and she saved him from the streets.

Doctors found that the poor boy had hundreds of ticks attached to his body, sucking the life out of him but what was really shocking to veterinarian Dr. Ash is when they x-rayed his stump, they found he hadn't lost his leg in an accident; oh no, his leg had been shot off.

His body riddled with hundreds of buckshot.

Yes, someone had used this dog as target practice. Over and over again.

Journey is safe now but his journey back to health will be a long one, requiring many more costly surgeries.

And while the doctor treating him has paid for everything out of his own pocket, with the help of a few small donations from the rescue and others, the need is still great.

Will you help Journey on his journey?

Any and all donations are welcome: www.uvcvet.com/donate

Copyright 2016 FOX 11 Los Angeles : Download our mobile app for breaking news alerts or to watch FOX 11 News | Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Be a citizen journalist for FOX 11 and get paid - download the Fresco News App today.