An Antigonish, N.S. family is both relieved and angry after their pet dog was shot in the head in broad daylight.

“There was blood just all down her face and her nose was pouring blood at this point,” says Cindy Partridge of her ten-month-old boxer mix, Jade.

Partridge and her two daughters were out shopping last Saturday afternoon when Jade was hit.

After clearing away the blood, Partridge could see the bullet entered through a fold of skin at the top of Jade’s head, exiting a few centimeters towards the front.

“Then it became a real concern. What if my kids had been home? What if we were just heading outside myself? My three-year-old, her head is the same level as the dog.”

The veterinarian who treated Jade says she is one lucky dog.

“Well, the dog is pretty fortunate,” says Dr. Darryl Ward. “If it would have went in at an angle, even a little bit deeper, it would have went into the skull and then we’re looking at, you know, brain damage.”

Partridge says she doesn’t understand why someone would want to hurt Jade. She also says they are nervous to take Jade outside.

“Even if they are never caught, and they see this, I want them to think, that my five-year-old questions me everyday, ‘Mommy, why was Jade shot?’”

Partridge says Jade is recovering from the incident, and police are investigating.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh