JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A couple in Jefferson County wants both answers and accountability after their dog was shot with a BB gun in their own backyard.
They believe it happened at least a week ago, but are confused why anyone would hurt their dog, Helga. Ohlen and his wife, Christine, say Helga loves to play in the backyard with her toys.
“She is a wonderful dog,” Brett Ohlen said.
“She’s one of the sweetest creatures in the world,” Christine agreed.
It was in their yard on Labor Day that they realized something was wrong with her.
“She had kind of been limping around and we noticed that,” Brett said.
Her back leg on the left side was swollen, and it still is a week later. A trip to the vet revealed a big surprise: two BB gun pellets lodged in her leg and pelvis. The vets were unable to remove them.
“My first response was a lot of anger,” Brett said.
“The whole thing is shockingly sad,” Christine said. “That’s how cowards work, you know? They sneak around.”
The couple has no idea when it could have happened or who it could have been. They say Helga has never gotten outside of their fence to a place that would bother their neighbors. Since the incident, they say Helga has clearly been impacted.
“She’s anxious and she doesn’t want to come out into the yard without us,” Christine said.
They hope someone will come forward with answers and hold the person accountable for making their dog feel unsafe in the yard they love to play in.
“To shoot our pup in our yard? And it’s a pup that doesn’t even bark?” Christine said.
“It’s not acceptable,” Brett said.
The Ohlens filed a report with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office immediately after learning what happened. Depending on the severity of the case, animal cruelty can result in a felony charge for the person responsible if they are identified.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
