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PROVO — A Provo couple is looking for answers Sunday after finding injuries on their pit bulls they believe were intentional.
Andre and Heidi Pepinos found a BB shot lodged in one of their dogs' heads after a two-week-old scab came off, revealing the round.
The couple originally noticed the wounds when they occurred, but thought they were the result of the 2-year-old pit bulls — Bane and Tank — play fighting in their fenced backyard. They know now that the dogs were shot with a BB gun. In addition to the BB that came out of Bane, they said Tank's wound feels like there is a BB lodged in it as well.
The Pepinos, like many dog owners, said their two pit bulls are more than pets.
"They really are like our kids," Andre Pepinos said.
"We feel like it's not only an attack on our dogs, but on us," Heidi Pepinos added.
The couple said they haven't noticed any other injuries on the animals, but they wonder if the incident may be related to a previous run-in at their home.
Two months ago, they noticed what appeared to be damage caused by a BB gun in their back window.
"We're assuming that it was the same person," Heidi Pepinos said.
The two also fear that person could be targeting their dogs because of their breed.
The couple reported the case to Provo Police Sunday morning and are waiting for an officer to take a report.
"It's hard to know when we're not how they're being attacked," Heidi Pepinos said. "There's not much we can do about it when we're not here."
They've also posted what happened on a dog walking group's Facebook page and asked for advice.
"It's not just our concern with our dogs, but what happens when it's taken to the next level," Heidi Pepinos said.
They want to find the person responsible, and soon.
Both Bane and Tank seem okay, but their owners plan to take them into the vet on Monday.
They hope anyone with information will contact Provo Police at 801-852-6210.
