Vet confirms Salma Hayek's dog "slowly bled to death internally."

WASHINGTON — Actress Salma Hayek says her pet dog, Mozart, was shot to death at her ranch last week, located in Washington state.

The 9-year-old dog was shot close to his heart, Hayek says. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

Deputy Lt. Cliff Ziesemer says a caretaker was riding a horse around Hayek's property with two dogs following. He says the dogs barked and took off running at the end of the road but eventually came back, as was typical.

Later, when the caretaker returned home she realized one dog was missing. She found the dog dead and reported it to authorities.

“I am hoping that the Washington State authorities do justice to this wonderful dog whom in 9 years never bit or attacked anyone,” she writes in her post.

Ziesemer says a veterinarian determined a pellet from a pellet gun had nicked an artery and that the dog "slowly bled to death internally."

An autopsy showed that a pellet gun shot through two ribs and nicked an artery. It is not clear where on the property the dog was shot.

Salma says that she personally delivered the dog from his mother’s womb.

"... he was the most loving and loyal companion," she writes. "He didn't deserve a slow and painful death."

Hayek is a self-proclaimed animal lover, saying in a 2013 interview with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that she had five horses, four alpacas, one cat, eight dogs, one hamster, five parrots, two fish, 20 chickens and multiple rabbits and turkeys.

In August last year, Hayek told Jimmy Fallon that she had nine dogs.

The Sheriff’s Office says they will have more information later this week.

Cox Media Group