01/03/2026
The following email has been sent to members of Parliament, Local Government and Media. Let's see how we go with getting some more attention.
ATTENTION: To those who can help spread the word that Animal cruelty is not ok and help find the people who performed this illegal, inhumane act!
On Friday evening 20th February 2026, our 2 pet dogs Luna 5 year old Catahoula X (she is wombat like in shape and stature) and Charlie our Golden Labrador 14 months (still a pup) slipped out and took off into the evening, we scoured the streets until the early hours of Saturday morning but no luck, they had got out once or twice previously over the last 8 months but always returned unharmed and always together. We invested in extra security, etc. but unfortunately, sometimes these things do not always work.
At about 9am Saturday morning we received a call that our Luna was on the local Wulkuraka walking / bike trail (edge of Ipswich Southeast Queensland) found by a couple of walkers who called the number on her tag. My daughter Piper and I hurried to collect her and found her in an unbelievably bad state, panting heavily, bleeding, and unable to stand on her hind legs. We assumed she had been hit by a car. A quick trip to the local vet and it was soon clear she was suffering from some very severe internal life-threatening injuries and not likely to make any sort of long-term recovery and the kindest thing to do was to let her slip away into sleep.
Returning home and seated outside with close friends consoling the loss of Luna, but still Charlie was nowhere to be seen. About noon young Charlie hobbled up the driveway and into the arms of his family home at last but very traumatized and shaky and bloodied holding one of his rear legs up - he had been recognized by a neighbour from down the street from our Facebook posts searching for him and she followed him up our driveway.
Rushed to the vets and yet again decisions to be made his ankle badly broken and a few other scrapes but his age and condition presented him with a great chance of full recovery - so into surgery he went a couple days later home only for us to find out his injuries had been caused by gunshots, in particular shotgun pellets removed from his leg as well as a 'through shot' across his back.
As our dogs were ALWAYS together, we now thought just maybe Luna's fatal injuries may also have been caused by gunshot, so we transported her body to UQ Vets at Gatton to undergo a thorough examination to find if it was in fact gunshot and not car hit. We are currently waiting on the full results however we have been advised verbally that they have in fact found metal shrapnel in Luna's body and the undisputed fact that Charlie's injuries were caused by gunshot. It would seem Luna may have copped the brunt of the gunfire as her condition presented as significantly worse than Charlie's.
To date we have pooled together as a family, $12,700 to cover costs with Luna's postmortem examination costs and Charlie's rehab costs still to come. We have started a Go Fund Me Page to help us with the costs for Luna and Charlie.
We are all average working people, we do not live extravagantly, we love our dogs, so it was easy to use what savings we had to give Charlie a chance at a long happy life and justice for Luna to find the real cause of her passing.
We are devastated as an extended family, and our close friends draw together for strength to get through each day as we deal with this.
We ask you to look into this incident. Demand answers. Spread the message that Animal cruelty is NOT OK. Animal cruelty is NOT acceptable and the person/s that have done such a heartless, cruel act, should be made accountable for their actions.
Please share this page far and wide to bring attention to the situation. We are profoundly grateful for any type of support and media attention, to seek Justice for Luna and Charlie.
Hug your fur babies tonight, things change in a heartbeat.
We would never have thought that especially in suburban Australia that such a thing could happen as it has.
Regards,
Ruth, Scott, Piper & Riley
JUSTICE for Luna and Charlie
(1) Justice for Luna and Charlie | Facebook
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