Hayden Howard, a resident of Seymour, Indiana, was shocked to discover her 100-pound English Mastiff puppy, Jackson, covered in what appeared to be bug bites. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the marks were actually holes in his skin. Disturbed by this revelation, Hayden took Jackson to the veterinarian, where it was determined that he had been shot multiple times with pellets and BBs. The vet removed 20 pellets and 7 BBs from Jackson's body, but estimated that there were at least another 20 projectiles still lodged inside him. Additionally, it was believed that around 20 shots had struck Jackson and bounced off. The senseless act of violence against the dog left both Hayden and the police officers involved in shock.
During their investigation, the police discovered BBs stuck in a tree near Hayden's house and traced the direction of fire to the neighboring residence of 44-year-old Tim Woodward. A search warrant was obtained for Woodward's house, where the police found a BB gun, pellets, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Woodward was subsequently arrested on drug charges, while the police awaited test results to confirm that the gun and pellets matched those responsible for Jackson's injuries. It was suspected that Woodward may have been under the influence of drugs when he decided to use Jackson as target practice.
Fortunately, Jackson was expected to make a full recovery, but the incident could have had a much more tragic outcome. BB and pellet guns, often dismissed as toys, can cause significant harm. While they are typically not lethal against humans or large animals, they can still inflict serious injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports an average of four deaths per year caused by BB guns or pellet rifles, with a higher risk of fatality if hit in the head or eye.
In this case, Jackson's life was endangered as he was shot approximately 60 times. The use of a BB or pellet gun in a crime should be treated as the use of a real firearm, and those who commit such acts of cruelty should face appropriate charges.
