WESTPORT — The moment Lexington resident Kristen Stelljes laid eyes on Lucy, a German shepherd and Ethiopian mix puppy she adopted while living in Addis Ababa, she knew she had found someone special. Feisty yet friendly, the now nearly seven-year-old canine is a fan-favorite amongst her dog walkers, known for her exuberance and frequent snuggles between Ms. Stelljes and her husband. Never once did she think she had to worry about Lucy’s well-being when dropping her off in quiet Westport where her parents, Janice and George Stelljes, live on Hixbridge Road.

That all changed on the morning of July 25 when Lucy, after running from the backyard in pursuit of a rabbit, was shot by a pellet gun in the neighboring woods of Mr. and Mrs. Stelljes’s property.

“Westport is a peaceful place,” said Mrs. Stelljes. “I wouldn’t expect this to happen here.”

While Mrs. Stelljes feared that Lucy had been hit by a car, Mr. Stelljes, having formal training in air rifle marksmanship, recognized the sound of the shot immediately. When Lucy finally returned to them—bloodied--the couple knew she needed to get examined. After first taking her to a local veterinarian, they were then transferred to Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists in Buzzards Bay where Lucy spent the next three hours in surgery to repair damage to her diaphragm, lungs, pancreas and both small and large intestines.

Though the next five days proved to be hour-by-hour, the skills of the specialists, coupled with Lucy’s natural fighting instincts, helped her to survive.

“We’re fortunate that Lucy is alright and that we were able to get her in time to a place that could take care of her,” said Ms. Stelljes.

Still, the Stelljes’s are baffled by the extent of the injuries Lucy sustained from the .177-sized pellet that clipped her arteries and ripped four holes in her intestines. Right now, she requires constant supervision in order to ensure that she’s taking her seven daily medications that will keep the inflammation, infections and pain at bay—already, Lucy’s had to be re-examined following a bout of vomiting. Simply enticing her to eat has been enough of a battle, though Ms. Stelljes reports that the canine’s appetite is slowly returning. The entire ordeal to date has racked up $16,000 in veterinarian bills.

Though Lucy’s expected to make a (mostly) full recovery, it will be awhile until she’s ready to again enjoy some of her favorite activities, like playing fetch and swimming. Her diet will need to be monitored moving forward, and the veterinarian warns that she may fear loud noises as residual trauma from the gunshot sound. Perhaps the most notable change, though, is that for the foreseeable future, Lucy won’t be let off her leash.

“God forbid this would happen again,” said Ms. Stelljes.

Without knowing what prompted the shooting—no incident was reported to police—neighbors are following suit and being more cautious with their pets; despite there being a leash law in place, it was not uncommon for residents to allow their animals to roam. While police say they are aware of locals using pellet guns to ward off coyotes, Mr. and Mrs. Stelljes never previously heard one being fired in their area. Whether Lucy was mistaken for a coyote or had gotten into mischief on someone else’s property remains—perhaps permanently—in question.

“I don’t want anything from them, but I want them to understand the consequences of this happening and to encourage the use of their pellet gun responsibly,” said Ms. Stelljes.

In the meantime, the Stelljes’s are putting their focus on making Lucy as comfortable as possible. She was able to enjoy a loving weekend at home in Lexington before heading back to Ms. Stelljes’s parents, where she’ll stay for a few days following the removal of her staples on August 8. Though Ms. Stelljes reports that Lucy is feeling more like herself with each new day, it’s been difficult for her family to watch their beloved pet suffer.

“She was just being a dog,” said Mr. Stelljes. “We never want anyone else to have to go through this.”