A man found himself requiring surgery after his dog inadvertently shot him.
Authorities responded to a residence in Shillington, Pennsylvania, at approximately 11pm on November 11. Upon arrival, they discovered a 53-year-old man who had sustained a gunshot wound to his back.
When questioned about the incident, the unnamed man stated he believed his dog accidentally shot him.
Providing more insight into the situation, Cpl. Michael Schoone from the Shillington Police Department explained to WFMZ: “While they were responding they were informed that a dog had jumped up onto the bed, causing the shotgun to go off, which ultimately struck the male.”
He continued, saying: “He’s not sure what stage of cleaning he was in at the time, so it’s unsure if the dog’s paw may have gotten caught inside the trigger and the safety was off, or if there was some sort of manufacturer malfunction. That’s unknown at this time.”
The dog owner was hit in the lower back and was taken to Reading Hospital for medical attention, where he underwent surgery for his wounds.
Although the extent of his injuries was not specified, it is anticipated that he will survive the event.
Schoone referred to the situation as the ‘perfect storm’.
“Obviously, you should be treating every weapon as if it’s loaded,” he stated. “You know, all the cardinal rules: keeping it in a safe direction, finger off the trigger… This was, like you said, it’s the perfect storm. You know it was just the right place at the right time, or the wrong time.”
While this incident nearly turned tragic, there are times when dogs can actually save lives.
A case in point is David Lindsay, whose dog gnawed his toe down to the bone.
Dave was asleep at the time and didn’t notice anything as bulldog Harley chewed on his feet.
This incident helped Dave realize his foot was completely numb. He went to the hospital to have his toe assessed, and it was there that doctors revealed he had two blocked arteries, explaining why he couldn’t feel anything in his foot.
Despite the unusual way of discovering his condition, Dave believes Harley ‘did [him] a favor’.
Dave spent a week in the hospital and was later reunited with his dog.