When Hayden Howard’s English Mastiff puppy, Jackson, came in from her fenced backyard in Seymour, Indiana, she assumed the small marks on his skin were insect bites. It wasn’t until the next day that she realized what she was actually looking at.
“He had some marks on him and we thought they were bug bites and stuff,” Howard told Fox 59. “Well then Saturday night, I started noticing holes on him.”
A Vet Visit That Kept Getting Worse
Howard took Jackson, who wasn’t yet a year old, to Seymour Animal Hospital the following Monday. What started as a routine exam turned into something far more alarming as veterinarians began shaving the puppy’s fur to get a clear look at his skin.
“They were just kind of looking at all the little holes and stuff and the more they shaved him, they just kept finding more and more,” Howard said. “I was in shock, I didn’t even know what to think.”
Veterinarian Dr. Steve Sunbury, who treated Jackson, removed 20 BBs and seven pellets — 27 total — from the puppy’s body, according to WHAS11. Some of the projectiles had lodged in sensitive spots. “There was one under his eyelid, there was one in his ear, one in his knee, they were all over, underneath of him,” Howard said.
Dr. Sunbury said he’d occasionally treated hunting dogs with stray gunshot wounds before, but nothing close to the scale of Jackson’s injuries.
How Many Times Was He Actually Shot?
The exact number has varied across reporting. Howard said a Seymour police officer estimated that, factoring in projectiles that were removed, ones still embedded, and ones that struck and bounced off, roughly 60 BBs and pellets had likely been fired at the puppy in total, per Fox News. Some later accounts of the story cite a figure closer to 70 shots; the original police estimate at the time was described as “60-some.”
The Investigation
Seymour police traced the direction of fire using BBs found lodged in a tree in Howard’s yard, following the trajectory to a neighboring property, according to WAVE3. Officers obtained a warrant and recovered evidence at that home, though they didn’t publicly disclose what it was at the time.
A man living at the property was arrested on unrelated drug charges after the animal cruelty investigation led officers there; authorities said charges specific to the shooting were still possible as the case continued. No arrest directly tied to shooting Jackson had been publicly confirmed as of the available reporting. A $500 reward was offered for information in the case.
Jackson’s Recovery
Despite the scale of his injuries, Jackson made it through. Some of the embedded BBs and pellets were left in place rather than removed, since extracting them risked causing further harm, but within days Howard reported he was doing well. “He’s well, he’s home taking medicine and everything,” she said.
Why BB And Pellet Guns Aren’t Harmless
Jackson’s case is a reminder that BB and pellet guns, sometimes dismissed as toys, can cause real and lasting injuries. Dr. Sunbury noted that even BBs left untreated under the skin can lead to infection over time. Wounds near the eyes, joints, or internal organs can carry more serious risk than the small size of the projectile might suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Jackson?
The English Mastiff puppy was shot with BBs and pellets while in his owner’s fenced backyard in Seymour, Indiana, in April 2017.
How many times was Jackson shot?
Veterinarians removed 27 BBs and pellets. Police estimated the actual number fired, including ones that missed or bounced off, was closer to 60; some later retellings of the story cite a figure of over 70.
Was anyone charged with shooting the dog?
Based on available reporting, a man at a neighboring property was arrested on drug charges after the investigation led officers there, but no charge specifically tied to shooting Jackson had been confirmed publicly at the time.
Did Jackson survive?
Yes. Despite his extensive injuries, Jackson recovered and was reported to be doing well within days of the attack.
Were all the BBs and pellets removed?
No — some were left in place because removing them risked causing further injury.
Are BB guns considered real weapons under the law?
Laws vary by state, but many jurisdictions treat BB and pellet guns as capable of causing genuine harm, and animal cruelty charges involving them are prosecuted accordingly in many cases.
Sources: Fox News/WXIN, WAVE3, WRTV, and WHAS11 (all April 2017 coverage of the Seymour, Indiana incident).
Hurting an animal should get no less of an outcome than if the same was done to a human. Personally, I think that it should be eye for an eye but, since that will never happen, attempted murder charges will have to do. Animal cruely- throw the book at ’em.