Dog Shoots Owner After Jumping on the Bed and Setting Off Gun, Police Say By Angel Saunders

A dog owner in Pennsylvania is recovering from a gun shot wound after his canine set off a shotgun that was in his home, according to reports.

A 53-year-old Shillington man told police he was cleaning his shotgun in the 300 block of State Street on Tuesday, Nov. 11 shortly after 11 p.m. when he set the firearm down on his bed. One of his dogs allegedly jumped on the mattress, and set the weapon off, WFMZ reported. 

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“While they were responding, they were informed that a dog had jumped up onto the bed, causing the shotgun to go off, which ultimately struck the male,” Cpl. Michael Schoone with Shillington Police Department told the outlet.

“He’s not sure what stage of cleaning he was in at the time, so it’s unsure if the dog’s paw may have gotten caught inside the trigger and the safety was off, or if there was some sort of manufacturer malfunction,” Schoone continued. “That’s unknown at this time.”

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was reportedly home with his son at the time. His son called for help, and the 53-year-old was transported to Reading Hospital where he underwent surgery.

ABC News added that the Shillington resident was found on the floor and conscious when police initially arrived.

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“Obviously, you should be treating every weapon as if it’s loaded,” Schoone added. “You know, all the cardinal rules: keeping it in a safe direction, finger off the trigger… This was, like you said, it’s the perfect storm. You know it was just the right place at the right time, or the wrong time.”

When reached for comment by PEOPLE, police said that the incident is still “under investigation.”