It’s heartbreaking to think that there are individuals who should never be allowed around animals. For some, the privilege of animal companionship is a duty they take seriously, while others show negligence and cruelty, as one woman named Hayden Howard discovered.
A while back, Hayden noticed something unsettling about her beloved English Mastiff, Jackson. Her playful pup had been enjoying his time in the backyard, but upon calling him inside, she was horrified to see what appeared to be marks all over his body, suspiciously resembling insect bites.
To Hayden’s dismay, a closer inspection revealed an even more troubling reality.
Poor Jackson was not plagued by insects, but by something far more malicious: bullet holes. “It was beyond shocking; I was at a loss for words when I realized what had happened,” Hayden shared in an emotional recount to WXIN.
Fearing for Jackson’s life, Hayden wasted no time rushing him to the vet, where the true extent of the cruelty was revealed. Scattered across Jackson’s body were tiny bullets, shot from a BB gun.
“They found one in his eyelid, another in his ear, and one lodged in his knee — they were all over,” Hayden explains.
The task facing the vet was daunting. To remove the bullets and identify the damage, almost all of Jackson’s fur had to be shaved. Miraculously, 27 bullets were extracted, although 20 had to remain due to their precarious locations.
In all, over 70 shots had been fired, leaving not just physical wounds but harrowing emotional ones.
“In all my years, I have never encountered an animal with so many gunshot injuries. It’s a deeply troubling case,” commented Seymour Police Department Assistant Chief Craig Hayes.
It’s incomprehensible how anyone could inflict such harm on an innocent dog, especially one that has never displayed aggression.
The quick actions of the police led them to a nearby home where the weapon was believed to be hidden. Not only did they recover the BB gun, but they also uncovered a stash of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, as reported by the Daily Mail.
There are hopes the perpetrator faces justice, with a prison sentence reflecting the gravity of the crime. Both Hayden and Jackson deserve peace, and there’s a firm belief that those who mistreat animals should lose the right to be near them ever again.
In spite of this ordeal, Hayden reports that Jackson is on a positive road to recovery.
See more in this news report about the incident below:
Even if BB or pellet guns are often perceived as ‘toys’ by some, the truth is that they can cause significant harm, not just to animals, but to humans as well. These so-called ‘fake’ guns have shown their real potential for damage.
When a crime involves a BB or pellet gun, it should be treated with the seriousness it deserves. These guns can be life-threatening, and those who use them irresponsibly must face appropriate legal consequences.
We all hope that Jackson will bounce back fully and reclaim his backyard adventures. Let’s hope he gets back to enjoying the joyful, carefree days he deserves.
If you believe animal abusers should face the full extent of the law, here’s a message to share: Our pets deserve better, and justice must be upheld.
