I don’t like it. I don’t like it all. That’s a 9mm bullet hole on a corner of Shadow-dog’s old dog house. I made him a new one and was loading up this old one to cart off to the land-fill when I noticed these new holes. The entrenching entry to the right in the picture above, and the exploding exit to the left. The violent entry cleaned off the dirt a bit.
In the picture below, you can see how the bullet exploded on it’s entrance to the right and then plowed through this extremely hard plastic to the left.
I’m guessing the bullet had slowed significantly by the time it exited the second wall. This could have happened any time. I can’t even guess. This discovery was another reason to get rid of this particular dog house. If you shoot at a target once, you’re much more likely to shoot at it again. Better not to have the same target around.
But a felony? It’s just a dog house after all. But, this was in town. Negligent discharge, as they say. No big deal. However, the rectory is right there, of course. Another inch off the mark and that bullet would have entered the house. Shooting at a house is rather illegal. Or maybe that was the aim. It’s not easy to shoot a pistol. This would have been from the back street, so, I’m guessing some 50 yards away, perhaps a drive by from a vehicle. For someone who is not practicing all the time – and low-level criminals really never practice, as the ammo eats up money for drugs – hitting the main house from that distance, much less the dog house, would be a feat. I’m guessing crack heads couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from inside the barn.
Since I’m a police chaplain, I consider Shadow dog to be a police dog of sorts, though not legally. But even non-police dogs shouldn’t be shot, not with a pellet gun, and certainly not with a 9mm.
Shadow-dog and I are quite the team. I don’t like this 9mm thing. I don’t like it at all.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
Aw, I will say extra prayers for you and Shadow-dog and your safety! Can you bless dogs and dog houses? Just wondering. Our house is blessed but I recently walked around our whole property sprinkling holy water all around. I’m big on holy water. 🙂 Even though they were pretty much forced to take away holy water in our churches I keep a bottle in my purse at all times, and in our cars and I have blessed salt in my van. You never know when you might need it!
Father, since Michael the Archangel is the patron of the police force and Shadow-dog a police dog of sorts, and if it wouldn’t be sacrilegious, might you consider blessing a St Michael Medal and attaching it to Shadow-dog’s collar for his protection?
That sounds like a great idea to me.
I agree with Liz on the use of Holy Water and the blessed salt. With a lot of churches closed this year, the only Holy Water available for most people is what we have on hand in our homes. We seem to have forgotten the power of the Holy Water. When the churches closed, the people where denied Jesus but also our spiritual weapons such as Holy Water and priestly blessings, etc.
Also I am a huge advocate of St. Michael the Archangel to defend and protect. He should be given lots of prayers for the spiritual battle going on. There are special prayers for police officers and why not a spiritual shield for Police Chaplain dogs, such as Shadow Dog.
That shooting is very disturbing and so cowardly and evil.
God bless you Father George!