Bound, Shot Dog Buried Alive, Survives

Man's best friend just found out how evil man can be. A female dog was found bound and whimpering with gunshot wounds to her head, and buried up to her muzzle in Malta. Incredibly, the dog rescuers nicknamed Star is recovering in an animal shelter while cops seek the animal abusers who attacked her, reports the the Times of Malta. The savagery of her treatment is sparking calls for harsher penalties for animal cruelty in a nation where the most serious punishment is a year in jail. Star's legs and muzzle were tied, and vets dug some 40 shotgun pellets from her head.

Outraged activists have launched several Facebook pages to fight animal cruelty and pay for Star's care. Several people from Europe to the US have offered to take the dog, but Star still faces a long recovery. "We have another 110 dogs that also went through bad experiences and need a home. Maybe people can help them," said a spokeswoman for the Malta Animal Welfare Department. (More Mason the tornado dog stories.)