Bullitt County neighbors offer $1,200 reward after dog is found shot following Fourth of July fireworks scare

A family in Bullitt County is seeking answers after its dog, Max, was found shot to death following a Fourth of July weekend celebration that included fireworks, according to family statements shared with WAVE News. Jennifer Manning said she and other relatives were hosting a gender reveal party on Friday night, and fireworks were part of the event.

Manning said the loud noise scared her two dogs, Max and Marley, who were outside on the deck at the time. She said the dogs ran away during or after the fireworks, and the family searched the area looking for them.

Manning said she located Marley on her own after the search and that Marley was alone when she was found. Max remained missing until the next day, when the family discovered him at the bottom of a nearby hill.

Manning told WAVE News that Max had what appeared to be a gunshot wound in his belly, and that he had been dead long enough for flies to be present. She described the discovery as extremely upsetting and said neighbors may have interpreted the situation as someone being hurt because of how loudly she reacted during the search and discovery process.

As of Monday afternoon, Manning said she still did not know who shot and killed Max and said she wants the person responsible to come forward. Neighbors have pooled resources to offer a $1,200 reward for information that leads to an arrest or other resolution.

Manning also said that while her dogs were usually inside the home, on Friday they were kept outside on the deck because family members were inside with food and guests. She said she had not planned for the fireworks noise to cause the dogs to flee and later acknowledged that additional precautions could have helped prevent the outcome.