There are sadly many individuals who should never be allowed to own or interact with animals due to their inability to treat them with care and respect.

A few years ago, Hayden Howard experienced this heartbreaking reality firsthand. Her beloved English Mastiff, Jackson, had been enjoying some time playing in the backyard while Hayden was inside. But when she called him back into the house, something seemed off. Jackson appeared to be covered in insect bites, and at first glance, Hayden thought he might have been swarmed by bugs.

However, upon closer inspection, the horrifying truth became clear.

Jackson wasn’t covered in insect bites at all — he was covered in bullet holes.

“I was completely shocked, I didn’t know what to think,” Hayden shared with WXIN, recounting the moment she realized what had really happened to her dog.

Panicked and heartbroken, Hayden rushed Jackson to the veterinarian. Once there, the vet discovered that the poor dog had been shot multiple times with a BB gun. Tiny metal bullets were lodged throughout his body.

“There was one stuck under his eyelid, one in his ear, one in his knee… they were just everywhere,” Hayden explained, still in disbelief.

Jackson’s condition was so severe that the vet had to shave off most of his fur to locate and remove the bullets. In total, 27 BB pellets were surgically removed from his body. Unfortunately, another 20 bullets were so deeply embedded that they could not be safely removed, and they had to be left inside Jackson.

In addition to the embedded bullets, the vet found at least 20 more bullet wounds across Jackson’s body, indicating he had been shot more than 70 times in total.

Seymour Police Department Assistant Chief Craig Hayes commented, “I have never seen an animal shot that many times. It’s an incredibly bad case, and it’s heartbreaking to witness.”

It is truly unfathomable how someone could commit such a cruel and senseless act against a dog, especially one as innocent and non-threatening as Jackson.

The police quickly launched an investigation, suspecting the shots had come from a nearby yard. It didn’t take long for them to identify a suspect, and soon after, they found both the BB gun and the ammunition in a neighbor’s home.

According to reports, including from the *Daily Mail*, when police searched the suspect’s house, they not only found the BB gun and pellets, but also methamphetamine and drug-related paraphernalia.

I can only hope that the person responsible for this heinous act receives a long prison sentence and faces the full consequences of their actions. Additionally, I believe that once they are released, they should be permanently barred from owning or being near any animals.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, Hayden has shared that Jackson is recovering well. Although his road to recovery may be long, it’s a relief to know that he is healing and will hopefully regain his strength and spirit.

This incident is also a sobering reminder that BB guns and pellet guns, while often referred to as “toys” or “fake” by some media outlets, are real weapons capable of inflicting serious harm. Crimes committed with these guns should be treated as seriously as those committed with any other firearm. People who use these guns to cause injury should be held accountable for their actions and punished accordingly.

I sincerely hope Jackson makes a full recovery soon and can return to his happy days of playing in the backyard.

If you believe that all animal abusers should be held accountable and face jail time, share this story. Together, we can stand up for the voiceless and demand justice for those who cannot defend themselves.