In the rugged, beautiful landscapes north of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, nature is usually a place of quiet reflection and peaceful exercise.
For Nicole Tatum and her beloved dog, Ringo, their daily walks on the local trails were a sacred ritual—a time for bonding and fresh air.
Ringo was no stranger to the hardships of the world; just a year prior, Nicole had rescued him after he was found abandoned in a literal pile of trash.
He had blossomed from a discarded soul into a vibrant, loving companion, the kind of dog who “melted the hearts” of everyone he met.
But on a quiet Friday in November, that peace was shattered by a random and senseless act of violence that would once again put Ringo’s life on the line.
The incident occurred suddenly, without warning or provocation.
As they walked along the trail, Nicole was alerted to something horrific by the sound of Ringo’s screams.
It wasn’t just a bark or a yelp; it was a visceral cry of pain that tore through the mountain air.
“I heard him scream and yell,” Nicole recalled, “and then I started screaming because I knew something had happened.”
In a matter of seconds, Ringo had been struck by gunfire, a victim of a seemingly random shooting.
In total, the poor pup was hit by five separate bullets, two of which exited his body after striking vital arteries.
The shooter, allegedly a man in a red Jeep, fled the scene, leaving Nicole to fight for her dog’s life in the middle of the wilderness.
When Ringo was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic, the medical team faced a puzzle that left them completely baffled.
While they were able to stabilize him and perform life-saving surgery, they couldn’t identify what had actually hit him.
The “bullets” inside Ringo weren’t made of lead, steel, or any standard BB material. The vet “couldn’t find any kind of metal” left behind by the projectiles that remained in his body.
Experts currently believe the ammunition may have been homemade, crafted from an unknown substance specifically designed to be untraceable or unique.
This mysterious element added a layer of chilling intentionality to an already horrific crime, making the search for the shooter even more urgent.
Despite the trauma and the unusual nature of his injuries, Ringo’s spirit has proven to be unbreakable.
The “amazing” emergency vet team managed to save his life, and he is currently on the long, expensive road to recovery.
The local community has rallied behind Nicole and her “love bug,” offering an outpouring of love and financial support through a GoFundMe page to cover the mounting medical bills.
Ringo, the dog who started his life in a trash pile, is once again showing the world that he is a survivor.
Nicole and Ringo are currently avoiding the trails where the incident occurred, waiting for the “red Jeep” suspect to be caught before they feel safe returning to their favorite spots.
Ringo’s story is a sobering reminder of the cruelty that exists in the world, but it is also a powerful testament to the resilience of animals and the bond between a dog and its owner.
Ringo didn’t just survive five bullets; he survived the worst of humanity, and he did it with a wagging tail and a heart still full of love.
