Pennsylvania Corgi Shot Between the Eyes and Left for Dead 'Miraculously' Survives Ordeal

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that Arthur the corgi is lucky to be alive after getting shot.

A Pennsylvania corgi named Arthur is on the mend after surviving a gunshot to the head.

On Friday, the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) posted photos of Arthur on Instagram and shared the dog's story in the post's caption.

"Arthur is lucky to be alive. And that is not an understatement. He was shot between the eyes and seemingly left for dead. But, Arthur didn't die. He crawled under a fence to a family farm & ultimately found safety with us," the PSPCA wrote on Instagram.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Arthur crawled under a fence to a farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on July 14 after getting shot. The property owners initially told the PSPCA that they thought the injured corgi's head wound stemmed from crawling under their fence, but when the dog arrived at PSPCA's partner Main Lain Animal Rescue (MLAR), on July 18, veterinary staff discovered something more serious.

"The wound on Arthur's head was large, and it was covered in debris," the PSPCA added on Instagram. "He was in too much pain for a full exam, so he was started on pain medication & antibiotics."

"The next morning, MLAR's veterinarian sedated him to clean his wound," the post continued. "Underneath the dirt & infection was something that looked an awful lot like a gunshot wound. X-rays confirmed our vet's grisly suspicions."

Arthur was shot "at an angle that miraculously missed his brain," according to the PSPCA.

"The bullet left a hole in Arthur's head & caused damage to his airway passages and mouth," the shelter wrote. "He was covered in fleas, had ear infections, and was anemic. But, he was alive."

Nicole Wilson, PSPCA's director of humane law enforcement and shelter operations, told the Inquirer on Friday that investigators found Arthur's owners living on a farm near where the dog was found in July.

Arthur's owners told investigators that they were trying to help the dog transition to farm life and roaming their property when Arthur went missing, according to the Inquirer.

"Unfortunately, as many dogs often will, he did not stay on his own property," Wilson told the Inquirer. "At that point, he became missing. The owners had apparently reached out to neighbors to ask if they'd seen him, but they didn't find him."

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Wilson added that Arthur's old owners have been ruled out as suspects in the dog's shooting and released Arthur to the SPCA's care given his injuries. Since rescuers found Arthur so close to his original home, Wilson told the Inquirer that it's likely someone in the Lancaster County area who shot the canine.

While PSPCA's investigation continues, Arthur has been focused on feeling better. The organization stated in its Instagram post on Friday that the corgi has been taking antibiotics, having his wound cleaned daily, and receiving pain medications.

"We are hopeful that Arthur will make a full recovery, but there are bullet fragments remaining," the PSPCA wrote on Instagram. "He may need specialty care to remove them. Only time will tell."

"But in the meantime, he is the most gentle and friendliest boy," the organization added. "Everyone loves him, and we've learned that he loves chicken nuggets. We have a feeling he'll be getting A LOT of those."

The SPCA has nicknamed the dog "Arthur, The Survivor" on its donation pages to help pay for Arthur's recovery expenses. The PSPCA's most recent photos and videos of Arthur show his between-the-eyes wound healing well.

"Arthur is doing extremely well. We, like all of Arthur's fans, are surprised at just how well he has bounced back," a representative for the PSPCA told PEOPLE in a statement Tuesday.

"For now, our veterinarians are watching his recovery and hoping that he will not need any surgery to remove the bullet fragments that remain," the statement continued. "But, if they become problematic, he may need specialty surgery."

The PSPCA told PEOPLE Tuesday that there is no new information concerning the investigation into Arthur's shooting at this time.

"So many times we get asked why things like this happen, and sometimes there is no why," the PSPCA told PEOPLE Tuesday. "Instead, we choose to focus on what we can do from here for animals like Arthur."