A Wyoming family is grieving the loss of their beloved Border Collie, Drover, who returned home with a fatal gunshot wound on September 5. The six-year-old dog, who lived on a ranch near Fort Washakie, collapsed from the injury and was discovered by his owner's wife the following morning.
Nate Penn, Drover's owner, believes the dog was shot with a .22-caliber rifle in an area away from their property. He stated that the family would not have known Drover had been shot if the dog hadn't managed to make it back to the ranch on his own.
Upon inspection, Penn found a small entry and exit wound on Drover's body, located between his hind legs and flank. He noted that the bullet appeared to be from a low-caliber rifle, as it did not cause the extensive damage seen with larger hunting rounds.
Drover was described as a devoted herding dog who took his duties on the ranch very seriously, guarding the property and protecting the family. He was known to scare off raccoons and would often sleep outside the children's rooms during the summer. Penn emphasized that Drover was not an aggressive dog and never caused trouble on or off the property.
Despite the loss, Penn's children, described as "tough farm kids," are showing resilience, though they deeply miss their companion. The family buried Drover on their property.
Penn expressed gratitude that Drover made it home before he died and has chosen not to report the incident to law enforcement, believing there is little legal recourse since the shooting likely did not occur on his property. He also chose not to speculate on a motive or identify a culprit, stating that such actions would not yield positive outcomes.