Hayden Howard, from Seymour, Indiana, was horrified when she realized that her dog, a 100-pound English Mastiff named Jackson, wasn’t covered in bug bites as she initially thought. Instead, the dog’s skin was riddled with holes — a grim discovery that turned out to be bullet wounds.
Jackson had been playing outside in the backyard when Hayden noticed something strange on his skin. Thinking the bumps were just bug bites, she took a closer look. To her shock, the marks weren’t bites at all, but what appeared to be bullet holes.
“I was in shock, I didn’t even know what to think,” Hayden said in an interview with FOX59. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Jackson had been shot multiple times. Hayden immediately rushed him to an animal clinic for treatment.
Vet’s Disturbing Discovery
At the clinic, veterinarians found a number of BBs and pellets embedded in Jackson’s body. The most disturbing part of the discovery was that the bullets weren’t just superficial. They had lodged into various parts of Jackson’s body, including under his eyelid, in his ear, and in his knee.
Veterinarians shaved most of Jackson’s fur to remove the pellets, and in total, they extracted 27 BBs. However, another 20 pellets had to be left in his body, as removing them would have been too risky. In addition to the bullets, they also discovered 20 more holes where BBs or pellets had hit Jackson and bounced off.
Cruelty and Investigation
It was clear that Jackson had been the victim of a deliberate act of cruelty. Police immediately launched an investigation, and pellets found lodged in a tree in Hayden’s yard indicated that the shots had come from a neighbor’s property.
Upon searching the neighbor’s home, authorities found a BB gun and pellets, leading to the arrest of Tom Woodward, the man believed to be responsible for shooting Jackson. Woodward had a criminal history, including prior drug charges, but had never faced animal cruelty charges before.
While police await lab results to confirm if the pellets recovered from Jackson match those found at Woodward’s home, they are confident that he is responsible for the attack.
Jackson’s Recovery and the Road Ahead
As for Jackson, Hayden reports that her beloved dog is recovering from the ordeal. While the physical scars will take time to heal, the emotional trauma of such an attack is something that will stay with both Jackson and his owner.
“I hope Jackson makes a full recovery and is able to play in his backyard without fear for many years to come,” Hayden shared.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the cruelty some animals endure and the importance of holding abusers accountable. Jackson’s story has touched many hearts, and we hope that justice is served for the innocent dog who suffered at the hands of a cruel individual.
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We can only hope for justice for Jackson and that this cruel act sparks greater awareness and action against animal abuse.
