X-Ray Reveals Rescue Dog Was ‘Shot in the Face’ Before Arriving at Shelter. Now, She’s Almost Ready for Adoption

When Twiggy arrived at a Texas animal shelter, staff could see the pup was in bad shape. Then, X-rays revealed she was suffering more than they knew.

In early November, the 2-year-old rescue arrived at the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) in “heartbreaking” condition, the organization said in a press release. Part of a “negotiated release” with about 10 other pets, Twiggy was not only “severely emaciated,” but also “crawling with fleas and parasites, and battling heartworms and whipworms.”

Upon further inspection, medical staff at the Fort Worth shelter realized that there was even more to the pup’s suffering than met the eye. Her intake exam uncovered “swelling under her jaw,” a red flag given that she had “no external wounds or visible injuries.”

Rather, the swelling “indicated something far more sinister,” HSNT said. Since she was also suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection, she could not be sedated and inspected further at the time.

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Staff gave the canine and her other ailments time to heal, placing her on antibiotics and monitoring her carefully as “her frail body fought to recover.”

Later, when the pup was able to undergo sedation, she was X-rayed — and her radiographs revealed a “horrifying truth." Twiggy had been “shot in the face," and the bullet was still inside her, HSNT said.

“A bullet, along with a tooth fragment, had been lodged in her jaw for weeks—possibly months—causing her pain and suffering,” per the organization, whose medical staff quickly got to work.

The veterinary team was able to surgically remove both the bullet itself and fragments, “providing Twiggy with the relief she desperately needed,” the shelter said. But it wasn’t just the relief she experienced after the surgery.

“Without intervention, Twiggy would not have survived,” HSNT said.

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“Throughout her recovery, Twiggy has shown nothing but love and gratitude,” the organization said. “Despite the trauma she’s endured, she remains gentle, sweet, and trusting—a testament to her unbreakable spirit.”

In her weeks at the shelter, the canine has become "a staff favorite."

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As for Twiggy's previous owner and the person who shot her, a spokesperson for HSNT tells PEOPLE that due to circumstances, justice will likely not be served.

“Unfortunately, the owner will not be held accountable, and there’s no way to determine exactly when or by whom she was shot,” the spokesperson said in a statement, adding that HSNT’s director of shelter medicine, Dr. Misty Mendes, “believes the injury was inflicted from within a five-foot range.”

“Despite her ordeal, Twiggy is now safe, gaining weight, and slowly recovering," the statement read. "She’ll be ready for adoption next week, and her sweet, gentle spirit continues to shine through.”

Cassie Davidson, the senior director of marketing, communications, and public relations at HSNT, also told PEOPLE in a statement, “Despite everything she has endured, Twiggy’s sweet, trusting spirit remains unbroken. Our hope is for a Christmas miracle—a loving forever home where she can finally experience the care and kindness she has always deserved.”

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