Canada

Police are investigating the case of a dog that has somehow survived after being shot in the head and left in a ditch in Quebec.

An animal shelter in the town of Cowansville says Orville the Australian shepherd was near-death when he was found on the side of a road in Quebec's Eastern Townships.

It appears he was shot behind the ear with a small-calibre weapon, and an X-ray shows the shattered bullet still lodged in the dog's skull.

Shelter director Carl Girard says he and the other staff couldn't put the animal down even though he was partly paralyzed and wasn't eating.

Two weeks since being found, Orville is up and about, although he has problems with one of his front legs and shows clear signs of having been abused.

Orville now spends most of his days in Girard's office, but is walking, eating and even running.

Girard has filed a complaint with provincial police, but a spokesman says the force has no leads as yet.