The "Dog shoots owner" headline was just too much for the British Tabloids to resist.
The headline in Wednesday's Sun read, "Dog shoots man — Florida pet owner blasted in leg by pooch while driving."
The Sun quotes a police that said that the dog's owner, “heard a boom, saw smoke and felt a burning in his leg.”
Although the “Dog shoots owner” headline is not one that you hear very often, police in Sebring, Florida, say it's true. A man indeed was shot by his own dog on Saturday, Highlands Today is reporting.
Sebring is about an hour and 45 minute drive southeast of Tampa.
The victim, 35 year old Gregory Dale Lanier, was not seriously hurt.
Lanier is from Frostproof, Florida, and he reported the incident to police on Feb. 23.
Sebring Police classified the shooting as “accidental.”
Sebring Police Cmdr. Steve Carr tod Highlands Today that police "did not arrest the dog or detain the dog," pending the investigation. Carr added that he has never heard of a case like this.
Gun safety
But there have been other cases of a dog shooting its owner. This YouTube video details a 2007 case in Memphis, Tenn. The video below has some tips on gun safety. The photos above show responsible gun owners in Connecticut taking a gun safety course. While the story of a dog shooting an owner may be comical when the owner has only minor injuries, the lack of gun safety leads to hundreds of tragedies every year in the US.
Owner thought the gun was unloaded
In the Florida case, Lanier, the dog owner, told police that he thought his gun was not loaded.
The gun the dog used to shoot its owner was a 9mm weapon.
Police said that Lanier was driving on State Road 17 North "when his dog kicked his unloaded .380 pistol causing it to fire and the bullet struck his leg. Lanier said he heard boom, saw smoke and felt a burning in his leg."
The report said Lanier was not only surprised that the gun was loaded, but also that it was actually a 9mm weapon.
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