Hunters shot my dogs: owner

Last Updated: Sunday, October 19, 2008 | 1:13 PM ET Comments38Recommend30CBC News

Tina-Marie Bentlage says she's rethinking her dream of opening an animal sanctuary because she's no longer sure she can keep her animals safe. (CBC News)
A Vancouver couple who moved to the B.C. Interior to open an animal-rescue sanctuary is reeling after one dog was shot and another is missing.

Tina-Marie Bentlage and her fiancé, Glen Gauthier, moved to a 130-hectare property near Midway, in south central B.C., with their 12 dogs and six cats, and the hopes of adopting more.

But their dream of building an animal sanctuary was dealt a blow when their oldest dog, Jessie, came home covered with blood.

"My fiancé came running out and seen her like this and…grabbed her face and noticed her eyeball was…I couldn't even look at her, I was in a panic," Bentlage said. "He started screaming and freaking out. He took some paper towels and duct tape and taped it so the bleeding would stop and told me to call the vet."

Tina-Marie Bentalge says she's certain hunters shot her dog, Jessie, in the eye. (CBC News)
A veterinarian removed fragments of a 22-calibre bullet from the dog's head, and Bentlage said she's lucky the dog is still alive.

A dog that was with Jessie at the time is missing. Bentlage believes Lucy Mae was shot and killed — and claims hunters they saw in the area at the time are to blame.

"Lucy Mae never came back and it's unheard of for her to be gone more than…20 minutes," Bentlage said. "We've been driving for hours for the last two, three days searching for her, just sick to our stomachs. My heart is broken. I'm done crying. I'm just angry and sour at how people can do this."

At around the time Jessie was shot, Bentlage said, she and Gauthier saw hunters in a grey pick-up truck driving off their property.

The only road to a large section of land, which is considered prime deer-hunting area, cuts through their property. Bentlage and Gauthier regularly let hunters use the private road but Bentlage said that is going to stop.

"I let them cut through the gateway and they do this to our dogs. Why? That's just sick. They shouldn't even have rifles," she said.

The couple is so angry they are shutting down the road to stop hunters from coming close to their animals.

Tina-Marie Bentlage says her dog, Jessie, is lucky to be alive after being shot in the eye. (CBC News)
"My dream was always to rescue animals. And here I am — I'm not saying it's shattered, but my heart and soul has been ripped out because this is a haven to keep my animals safe, and more that I'd love to rescue," Bentlage said.

Now she questions whether she can keep animals safe on her property.

Bentlage and her fiancé filed a complaint with the local police department.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/10/18/bc-dog-shot.html