'Good dog' who accidentally shot his owner in the chest has been forgiven

A man has survived after one of his dogs accidentally shot him in the chest.

Tex Gillian, 74, was left with broken ribs (three), an injured lung and a broken collarbone after his dog Charlie accidentally pressed down on his gun and shot the man.

According to Gillian, he was packing up his truck with his gun and three dogs – Charlie, Scooter and Cowboy. He’d been on his way to the desert outside Las Cruces in New Mexico, hunting jackrabbits.

His Rottweiler Charlie appears to have gotten his foot on the trigger of the gun and accidentally let it rip. Gillian thought he had been shot by a sniper. He told ABC News:

I thought who was that? I was there, isolated, nobody was around.

Eventually, he called emergency services, and officers from Dona Ana County Sheriff’s office answered the call.

An investigation suggests that the dog had gotten his claw caught on the trigger of the shotgun.

Dona County Sheriff’s office spokesperson, Kelly Jameson said the investigation was being handled as an “accidental shooting.”

Gillian was admitted into hospital, where doctors discerned that it would be safer to keep the bullet inside him.

Despite the near death experience at the hands of his dog, he doesn’t blame Charlie.

It’s an interesting story: ‘a dog shot a man!’

[Charlie] did not mean to do it. He's a good dog.

People online have suggested it's probably best he keeps the safety on. At all times.

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