Dog shot in the head - why????

teachertrixibel

Hi all,

My darling dog Zak (harmless 9 year old basset hound) was shot in the head in my back garden on Wednesday night. I'm devastated - and that's an understatement! I just can't fathom why anyone would do something like that... has anyone ever heard of anything similar? I live near Trim and would love to know why people do this? He was only out in the back garden at night time and never barked or whined. I never had any complaints about him. The neighbours all liked him and the kids in my estate loved him. I'm heartbroken....

cowzerp

Sorry to hear about that, some people are just scum..never heard of this before thank god..

masteroftherealm

I'd call the police as the unlawful discharge of a firearm on private property is a quite serious offence and the "destruction" (Sorry for the wording) of private property is also an offence.
Theres some sick people out there.

mary123

OMG what a terrible thing to happen. Stupid questions was it fatal? Have u reported this to the police?

Morganna

OMg im so sorry you must be devastated

Mad Dog

mary123 wrote: »

Stupid questions was it fatal?

Well she said she was devastated so I gather it was fatal.

What an awful thing to happen and just wish there was some way to find the person(thing) who did this. Pure low life of the highest order.

teachertrixibel

police were called and wanted to know if someone had a vendetta against me! nice.... They just couldn't believe how someone could do it! Even the vet had never seen anything like it. The worse thing is, my dog was such a friendly thing.... I'd say whoever did it was petting him and then took the shot as he literally fell to the ground at my back door and there was no blood anywhere else.

Yes it was fatal - it killed him instantly thank God.... I'm devasted though - he has been with me for 9 years and just gone like that. I can't actually comprehend how someone would do such a thing... heartbroken doesn't even describe how I feel right now :-(

I've posted a picture of him ...... he was such a softie - wouldn't have hurt anyone! I just can't understand it....

lightening

Unbelievable. Where did this happen? I'm terrible sorry about your dog.

EDIT.... near Trim. Very sad. I hope they catch the shooter.

teachertrixibel

I live in a small (normally) quiet and safe little village near Trim, Co. Meath. I've been here a year and no problems ever.... Just spoke to the local guard and he reckons that the sickos who did this want to break into my house and take my car keys as there have been about 5 cars robbed in the last month or so around the area. They might have thought the dog was a threat...??

I'd have left the bloody keys in my car for them to drive away, but why kill the dog???? Just can't fathom it :-(

whitser

sounds like a revenge attack, for something you mightnt even realise you did, or mistaken identity. cant see car robbers carrying a gun to shoot a dog. they normally drug dogs if they want to break in(as happened a friend).

kerrysgold

omg that is just awful.....I hope they catch whatever scum did it! not much consolation I know but at least he didn't suffer

mollydolly271

that is f***ing auful i wud string them up and keep presuing the guards about this dont let them let it slide. if someone could do this to an innocent dog i can only imagine what they could do to a person they need to be locked up asap

golden

OMG so sorry for you loss. There are certainly sadistic sickos about.

alancarroll007

Dont let it wear u out tryin' to figure out y? The things that did it dont use reason just self belief that they had a reason. You are a good person they are evil dont let them change that..SORRY FOR YOUR TROUBLE.

fitz0

Its things like this that make you wonder what state this country is in. What sort of people could do something like this and sleep at night. Seeing the picture just makes you wonder more how they could do it.

Im very sorry for your loss, it's like losing a good friend when they've been with you for 9 years.

Honey-ec

Jesus Christ, you poor, poor thing. I actually feel sick just thinking about what happened. We have 3 boxers and have often laughed about how it'd be a foolhardy burglar who'd break into our house. It would never even have crossed my mind that they'd go to the extent of shooting a dog.

My heart goes out to you, it really does. It's hard enough to lose a dog to natural causes, but for something like this to happen - well, all I can say is that you'll be in my thoughts for a long time.

hadook

That's terrible. Rest in peace Zac

mukki

Poor Zac.


sorry for your troubles trixibel.





Don't ask why, there is no possibal reason for what happened.


on a lighter note.....welcome to boards.ie

Dyr

Know any farmers in your area with gun licenses? Thats where id put me money.

It wasn't me!

To be honest, farmers have no reason under the sun to do such a thing in someone else's back garden, so best not make baseless accusations like that.

To the OP, I really feel for you. A dog is a truly amazing pet and I like most dogs better than I like most people. Whoever did this is scum of a high order.

LegacyUser

I'm absolutely shocked to read this. My God! Its unbelieveable.

So, so sorry to hear about Zac.

kraggy

Did you not hear the shot at the time, were you in the house?

Anyone else hear the shot?

Sorry to hear that OP.

Disgusting.

BlackCat2008

Absolute madness was there any other crimes that night this scum bag was probably trying to hide out and shoot your poor lad to stop him from giving away his position.

I'm so sorry it's never easy to lose a pet no matter what but I wouldn't let up on the police until they find this piece of s**t. If the police don't take it seriously because it is just a "dog" I'd file for criminal damages of your property, your dog must of cost you alot to buy and if it didn't don't tell them that.

RIP Zac.

kowloon

Farmers generally don't do that sort of thing, even sheep farmers will only shoot a dog that is actually causing trouble, and they know damn well they have to catch it in the act. Likewise, nobody with a licenced firearm is likely to shoot it in someones garden, getting caught is VERY serious.
I know this isn't nice, but is there an exit wound?
If the gardai aren't taking it seriously and there's no exit wound you could have the projectile removed by a vet to give you a better idea of what your dealing with, have the projectile photographed and the vet witness that it's genuine.
If it is indeed a firearm projectile the gardai need to take it seriously.

jaffa20

Looking at that picture, i don't see how any burglar would see him as a threat. There are lots of scum out there. I would love to see the guards take this seriously. Sorry for your loss

Kess73

Total scum that did that. Am disgusted and angry to hear this story.


What big men they must be to kill such a lovely dog. The worst thing is that I have heard of similar before, and in that case the shooter was caught, and was not given a heavy punishment. It turned out to be a teenager with a gun that was showing off with his other scum gangster wannabee scum friends.


It may not be a PC thing to say, but I really hope whomever did that to your dog meets a similar fate, as that type would turn a gun on a person as easily as a lovely old dog.

fatmammycat

Poor old dog, my sympathies. I should hope the Gardai are treating an incident like this very seriously indeed.

kowloon

Kess73 wrote: »

What big men they must be to kill such a lovely dog. The worst thing is that I have heard of similar before, and in that case the shooter was caught, and was not given a heavy punishment. It turned out to be a teenager with a gun that was showing off with his other scum gangster wannabee scum friends.

These days, providing it's not a teenager too young to be affected by the law, this offence would carry a mandatory prison sentence provided it is a firerarm used.

chickenhawk

That's awful OP. I can't believe someone could be that cruel.

I know piles of farmers and hunters with guns and believe me they would have no reason or urge to kill a dog in someones back garden. Farmers mostly keep guns to kill birds breaking plastic on feed or to shoot dogs that are a threat. Hunters (that I know) enjoy the hunt more than the kill and there is no skill in killing a dog in a confined space.

I know all that is no reassurance but I think you can narrow it down to a young person. If you retrieve the bullet your local gun club will tell you if it was a pellet (could easily be a scumbag from local area) or a small bullet (more likely to be a farmer or member of a club because of the need for a licence).

Dilly

That is just horrific, I'm speechless...

Bassets are such placid creatures, it's breaking my heart to think that someone could do this. You have my sympathy for whatever it's worth...RIP little Zac...

meathstevie

Sick thing to do and I feel for the OP, imagine how close a criminal with a fairly potent weapon was to them.

But the poster who just accused farmers of this sort of behaviour is completely out of order. I know a fair few sheepfarmers within less than 1/2hour drive from the OP and none of them would do such a thing. None of them would hesitate killing a dog attacking their stock but for this one you have to look at genuine criminal behaviour for the simple reason that farmers in general don't use pistols or rifles ( single hole ) but shotguns that would alarm the whole neighbourhood if you fired it in close proximity of houses.

My money would be on some sort of a stolen rimfire gun fitted with a sound suppressor. If the investigation bears any fruit, and it should because of the seriousness of the offence, and it happens to be a licenced person who's the guilty party the full measure of legal repercussions should apply just the same as it was an unlicenced gun.

BlackCat2008

Any news op ?

togster

Bambi wrote: »

Know any farmers in your area with gun licenses? Thats where id put me money.

What sort of farmer would go into someones back yard and shoot a dog.
Live in the real world much?

OP i am so sorry for you. These people are scum.

Best wishes

stevoman

Bambi wrote: »

Know any farmers in your area with gun licenses? Thats where id put me money.

OP i am very sorry for your loss. Whoever done this must be sick in the head and i truly hope they are caught and get what coming to them.

Mod Edit: Abuse removed.

Blaming a farmer for coming into the back of that persons house and just shooting the dog... please. What do you think, farmers go around sneaking into the back of peoples houses at night shooting dogs?

Trojan911

teachertrixibel wrote: »

Just spoke to the local guard and he reckons that the sickos who did this want to break into my house and take my car keys as there have been about 5 cars robbed in the last month or so around the area. They might have thought the dog was a threat...??

Even more reason the Gardai should treat this very seriously. Entering a property with a firearm constitutes Aggravated Burglary. A lot more serious than "normal" Burglary.

Out of curiosity, were there any attempts by the Gardai to locate the bullet for forensic purposes? How serious do you think they are taking it?

Very sorry to hear this, such a docile looking dog as well.

Dyr

togster wrote: »

What sort of farmer would go into someones back yard and shoot a dog.
Live in the real world much?

OP i am so sorry for you. These people are scum.

Best wishes

The kind of farmer who lives down beside my sister. She was told if the dog was walked during lambing season it would be shot one way or the other.

carwash_2006

You can be darn sure that farmer would not be coming onto your sisters property with a gun at night. If he were to feel his livestock were at threat he would not need to go sneaking around to shoot her dog, he would be within his rights to do it in broad daylight.

Methinks we are not getting the full story there.

Dyr

Think all ye like pal I'm not interested in convincing ye.

wtf?

teachertrixibel

yep, in the end, vet confirmed not a shot so all very confusing. Hard to think of him being hit with anything hard enough to kill him - he had such a thick skull. Vet said it could have been hammer or whatever else they had in their hand to break in....

I'm still heartbroken :-( Small consolation I guess that no firearm was involved, but still such a vicious attack... Keep expecting to see my dog in the kitchen/around the house.... so sad......

thx for all your messages though.... really appreciate them

Trix

what scum
a few years ago my friends dog was poisoned by burglars
i hope they die screaming

BlackCat2008

Gun/Hammer it's all the same it's an attack on a lovely dog that shouldn't of happened would it be possible some one with a gat/sling shot used him as taret pactise I'm beginning to so a lot of them about a again they were illegal 20 yrs ago the police tuck a black widow of my brother that was given to him as a present, they stopped him on the side of the road and tuck it of him (he loves animals as much as I do so I can assure you he never harmed any with it) but it could do some damage, even with a small stone being flung it hits some speed even enough to kill a dog if it hits in the right place, I'm sure none of this makes you feel any the better for lossing your beloved pet and my thoughts are with you.

Hope you find out what happened ?

Storm_rages

that is so horrible..!

echosound

Sorry to hear about your poor dog Like Blackcat2008 said it could have been a slingshot/catapult type thing, some asshole out for target practice. It happens. Not that that makes it any better mind, it only makes you wonder what kind of scum roam the earth.

My poor beloved dog was killed many years ago by a psycho using him for target practice with a crossbow. Found my dog (a little jack russell) shivering in our front garden early one morning, and when I went to see what was wrong with him, he was sitting in a pool of blood with a huge wound. Vet confirmed he had been shot with a bolt of some type from a crossbow, when straight through the poor fella fatally wounding him. Had to have him put to sleep as he was in so much pain and his insides were completely ripped apart :mad: so it was either put him down or let him have a long, painful death.

It's sickening to think that anyone could do something to a defenseless creature like that. Still upsets me now, more than a decade after it happened. Even if he had been killed instantly without all the suffering he endured it would have been easier to bear.

Sorry to hear you are going through this, it's awful.

whitser

teachertrixibel wrote: »

yep, in the end, vet confirmed not a shot so all very confusing. Hard to think of him being hit with anything hard enough to kill him - he had such a thick skull. Vet said it could have been hammer or whatever else they had in their hand to break in....

I'm still heartbroken :-( Small consolation I guess that no firearm was involved, but still such a vicious attack... Keep expecting to see my dog in the kitchen/around the house.... so sad......

thx for all your messages though.... really appreciate them

Trix

i'd say it was a robber scoping your house. chances are he'd have a hammer or similar on him.

whitser

whitser wrote: »

i'd say it was a robber scoping your house. chances are he'd have a hammer or similar on him.

yeah these people are dangerous, and there is a link between animal cruelty and violent people (serial killers mass murderers etc)
http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/474840?articleid=474840

shouldnt be a suprise with the amount of people murdered here every second day now!

teachertrixibel

sorry to hear about your dog echosound - it's heartbreaking to think of the violence people are using.

blindjustice, I've heard of that before. Apparently paedophiles also abuse animals. I just hope to God that in my case it was a robber, as the thoughts of a serial killer etc in my garden isn't the most reassuring thought in the world

The world is full of very evil and nasty people :eek:

whitser

relax. i doubt it was a serial killer. i'd say some junkie was planning to break in, then your dog comes out and he panicks hits the dog and runs. its terrible but dont get your self in a state worrying about serial killers etc...thiefs will often poisin dogs when the plan to do a house. they not serial killers just scumbags.

iguana

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog.:(