Hernando woman shoots 2 dogs with BB gun nearly 200 times for trying to dig under fence, deputies say

SPRING HILL, Fla. - A Spring Hill woman has been arrested on multiple counts of animal cruelty after deputies say she used a gas-powered BB gun to shoot her dogs as they tried to dig under a fence to get out of her yard.

According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, an animal control officer was sent to 472 Hollyhock Lane in Spring Hill to investigate reports of a woman possibly shooting her dogs with a BB gun.

A witness told the officer he was working outside when he heard the sound of a BB gun being fired followed by yelps of dogs being hit. He said he heard the BB gunfire about 15 times in 30-45 minutes.

The dog’s owner, Jamie Lynn Kujawa, initially told the officer she didn’t own a BB gun. When the officer asked to see the animal’s vaccination records, HCSO says Kujawa could not provide the documents.

Upon inspecting the dogs, the animal enforcement officer discovered various injuries and scarring on the feet and paws of each dog.

Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office

Kujawa told the officer the dogs had recently been involved in a fight and she turned a hose on them to break it up. However, the animal enforcement officer noted one of the dogs appeared in worse condition than the others with numerous fresh puncture wounds to its paws and legs.

The officer gave Kujawa a verbal warning for having unvaccinated dogs and told her that she had 10 days to get the dogs vaccinated and provide proof that the injured dog received treatment.

The next day, a deputy went to Kujawa’s home with the animal control officer and noted two of the dogs appeared to have fresh wounds on their front paws and legs. The deputy said some of the injuries appeared to be consistent with dogs that have been fighting. However, the deputy did note he was unable to touch or thoroughly inspect the dogs because they didn't want to be touched. 

Throughout the week, the animal control officer continued to check in on the dogs and Kujawa said she couldn’t afford to take them to a vet and wanted to surrender the animals to the county.

She gave two of the three dogs to Hernando County Animal Services. During an examination, the veterinarian was able to remove a lead pellet from the right paw of one of the dogs. HCSO says out of an abundance of caution, both dogs were sent to a local veterinarian for x-rays.

When the first dog was x-rayed, the veterinarian found approximately 61 BBs and 19 lead pellets located throughout the dog's legs, torso, and head, according to HCSO.

Deputies say when the second dog was x-rayed, the veterinarian identified approximately 71 BBs and 22 lead pellets throughout the dog's legs, torso, and head.

HCSO says a total of 173 projectiles were found embedded between the two dogs.

Investigators say Kujawa used a gas-powered BB gun to shoot the dogs when they tried to dig under the property fence to get out of her yard. Deputies say Kujawa told them she had been shooting the dogs for approximately two months.

Kujawa was arrested and a third dog, three cats, a ferret and a bird were removed from her home. 

The condition of those animals is under investigation.