An owner shot her dogs over 200 times with a BB gun for trying to dig their way out of the yard, police said. The owner has been arrested.
A neighbor reported the woman after hearing the sound of a BB gun being fired, followed by cries of dogs being hit, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). The neighbor said they heard BB gunfire around 15 times for 30 to 45 minutes.
Scans found over 173 pellets in the two dogs that their owner, Jamie Lynn Kujawa, willingly surrendered to animal control. Kujawa was arrested for the crime on May 10.
On April 19, when animal control first visited the home, Kujawa told officers that didn’t own a BB gun. She said the dogs had recently been involved in a fight, and used a hose to break up the scuffle. On the feet and paws of all the dogs, injuries and scars were noticed.
Kujawa did not provide proof of vaccination records. She was given a verbal warning by the office and a 10-day time limit to vaccinate the dogs and provide evidence of medical treatment for the injuries.
According to the HCSO, a deputy revisited the home the next day and saw all three dogs limping in the backyard. The deputy noted that two of the dogs seemed to have new, fresh wounds on their paws and legs after he requested to view the dogs in the home. Fighting did appear to cause the injuries, but the deputy was unable to touch or inspect the dogs due to their abhorrence of being touched, according to the HCSO.
Over the next week, animal enforcement officers performed consistent, routine checks. Kujawa surrendered two of her three dogs to Hernando County Animal Services (HCAS) on May 3.
A veterinarian removed a lead pellet from the paw of one of the dogs at HCAS. Subsequently, the dogs were both sent for x-rays to find out more. 61 BBs and 19 lead pellets were found in one dog’s legs, torso, and head. 71 BBs and 22 lead pellets were discovered in the second dog.
A third dog, three cats, a ferret, and a bird were all removed from the possession of the pet owner. Facing multiple counts of aggravated animal cruelty, Kujawa was consequently arrested at her home. She used a BB gun to shoot at the dogs when they attempted to dig under the fence to get out of the yard, an investigation by the officers found.
State law rules in Florida said that aggravated animal cruelty is a felony of the third degree while animal cruelty is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
In Florida, a person who commits animal cruelty or aggravated animal cruelty against more than one animal can be charged with a separate offense for each animal.
