Recovery going well for dog with jaw shot off

GENEVA COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) –The life of a family in Geneva County is getting back to normal after one of their dogs was nearly killed by a shotgun blast to the mouth earlier this year. However, they still have questions about their other beloved pup, nowhere to be found.

In February, WDHN brought you the heartbreaking story of Kayla Carpenter and her two “big goofy babies,” Hank and Bluey.

One morning, Carpenter found Bluey, her 1-year-old Pitbull, shot in the mouth by what was believed to be a shotgun. The dog’s jaw had been shattered, and most of his bottom teeth were missing.

READ MORE: Dog comes home with jaw blown apart, another still missing as family seeks answers

Bluey underwent emergency surgery to repair his jaw, but a few days later, the stitches broke. Carpenter took him back to the vet, assuming he would need to undergo another expensive procedure.

However, a small amount of luck was on Bluey’s side. He recovered without the strain of a second surgery but ended up losing the portion of his lower jaw that had been shattered.

After nearly four months of recovery, Carpenter says her Bluey can eat regular hard dog food and is back to being the lovable pitbull she remembered.

“Thankfully, his spirit isn’t broken as one would suspect,” said Carpenter. “Although he despises gunshots now and will figure out a way to get into his bed if he hears one go off.”

Nowadays, you can find Bluey playing with new rescues the Carpenters help rehome across Geneva County. Despite his unexpected recovery, not everything is back to normal in the Carpenter household.

Hank, a 12-year-old Boxer rescue with no teeth and disabled back legs, has not returned.

“Every day, I still search for and call for him,” said Carpenter. “When I drive up, I hope he will just be back to greet me.”

Carpenter believes Hank was also shot while playing that morning but wasn’t able to escape with Bluey.

“I think Hank is dead somewhere. I think one of those (gun) shots killed him,” Carpenter told WDHN in February.

Carpenter says that despite constantly searching the area and pleading for information on what happened to her senior dog, community members have not given her family any leads.

While not giving up hope that Hank will one day reappear, the family plans to set up a memorial to honor their old friend.

“He was a big part of our family,” said Carpenter. “We miss him dearly.”

Carpenter wants this incident to help remind everyone that not all big dogs are aggressive and not to assume the worst immediately.

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