Foley and the Dog Who Shot a Human

Sadly, I have received hundreds of prayer requests from dogs because they, either accidentally, or on purpose, have been shot.  This week I got a request I never expected. 

"Please help me!" The short prayer began. "I shot a human!"

Often, especially if the soul sending the prayers is in distress, the prayer is garbled.  I thought that must be the case with this strange request.  

Before I departed to check on the desperate dog, I got a human request originating not far from the original prayer: "Please help me, a dog has shot me!" My curiosity piqued, I put on my long-distance wings and flew down to End Oklahoma. 

I found a woman being attended to by EMTs.  She had a bullet hole in her side. Inside the truck, where she had just been a passenger, was a 78-year-old man and a yellow lab.  Both looked very concerned. I made myself appear to the dog. The human couldn't see me because their cynicism has long closed them off to magic. 

I was able to communicate with him telepathically.  I could have done so by barking. His owner would not have heard me but would listen to his pup's yapping adding to the dad's distress. 

I asked him how the accident occurred.

"I was sitting in the back.  My Daddy was driving his SUV.  His caretaker was in the passenger's seat.  Daddy was forced to stop for a passing train.  Well, you know what we dogs are like. I thought we had arrived, so I jumped into the front seat, landing in the console.  I had no idea a locked and loaded .22 was under the console. When I landed, the gun fired, striking the woman. She screamed.  I told my 81-year-old dad to call 911. He dialed 922, 119, 999, then leaned out of the car and shouted for help. I grabbed the phone from Dad and dialed the police. The woman's hysterical screams were enough for them to fly into action.  Now we’re just sitting here waiting for me to be arrested."

The dog was anxious that he would be taken away.  I assured the dog that he was not going to be arrested. After all, he was a yellow lab, and it was an accident.  I asked him why his dad was riding around with a weapon under the console without the safety locked.  “Dad doesn’t like the safety; it takes him a long time to click it off with his arthritic fingers. He could be shot before he could fire his weapon.  He is anxious about being shot by some punk.” 

I told him that his dad was much more likely to shoot someone than to be shot accidentally.  "In fact,' I assured him "perhaps you shooting this woman will be a sign to your dad that he shouldn't be riding around town with a loaded gun because someone is bound to be hurt."

We looked at one another then shared a long laugh. This is America.  It takes a lot more than a man's dog shooting his caretaker to give up his gun.

More likely to give up his dog.