If someone shot your dog

[Handyman]

what would you do ? I was just reading the thread about the border agent shooting the dog . Recently I saw another thread about a park ranger shooting a dog [ can't remember which forum it was on ] . A woman was walking her dog off a leash and a park ranger shot the dog when it approached him . A few years ago there was a local news story about a dog shooting . A guy was walking his dog in a park off a leash . When his dog approached a couple walking from the oppisite direction the guy shot the dog in the face . The shooter said he shot the dog because his wife did not like and was afraid of dogs .
I know there are some dangerous feral dogs , vicious pit bulls and dogs that attack or kill livestock or chickens . I know sometimes its necasary to shoot a dog but these dogs were with or very close to their owners .
Those 3 stories all sound like it was a case of some trigger happy jackass who did not like dogs .
I think everyone knows the difference between a dog who is bearing his teeth and is in an attack posture and a dog who is just wanting to take a sniff of you or who is running around playing .
When I walk my dog in a park or in the woods I let her run around off leash . I meet many people who do the same . She is always close , never more than 20' away and never out of my sight . When we meet other people she sometimes gives them a sniff . I know she is a good dog and is always under my control .
If someone shot my dog , or did anything to hurt her , while I was walking her because they were afraid or didn't like that she was off her leash or whatever , I would beat the crap out of them no matter who they were . If someone was crazy enough to shoot my dog when she was within 20' feet of me and obviously under my control I would also feel that my life was in danger , wouldn't you ?
If you have a gun and don't like dogs you better be sure you have good reason to shoot . Many dog owners think of their pets like they were part of their family .

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

IIRC, every state I've ever lived in had a leash law. You have to have your dog on a leash at all times if off your property.

If I understand the law correctly, I would feel guilty if someone shot my dog while he (the dog) was off the leash. I would feel mad, too. But I would also feel that it was (at least partly) my fault.

I doubt I would have any legal recourse, however. Due to the existence of a leash law.

YMMV

 

[Sisco]

If someone were to shoot the dog that is presently living in our house I'd offer to pay for their ammo.

 

[WildcatRegi]

I'm a dog lover but I'm also a jogger.

It's amazing how many times a person is walking their dog 'off the leash' and the dogs come after me because I'm running. "Don't worry, he's a good dog and won't hurt you." ya, right. Why do I have to worry about it or stop jogging just because of their damn dog

Also in my neighborhood is and individual who has 3 - I said THREE - pit bulls that he will have in his front yard 'off the leash'. I guess he doesn't feel safe enough with only one.

Dogs bring out strong feelings on both sides but when I'm in a public area, my dog is on a leash.

As far as actually shooting one, I can't see how that can possibly be justified unless there was an agressive act.

 

[beaucoup ammo]

That's a tough one. What could you do? Know the law for one thing. If your pooch has to be leashed..well, he or she had better be on one. What I'd like to do is pound the offender into hamburger, for starters. But, ultimately that would prove to be unwise...especially if both of you were armed. No good could come from that.

Cool heads really do prevail. I would turn such a situation over to a "friend" with the computer macroskills to turn a mole hill into a mountain or vice-versa.

 

[pcosmar]

Every city I have lived in had a leash law, but not every county. That is why I do not live in a city.
I hate leashes.

 

[Snowdog]

I'd be fairly upset since my dogs (German shepherd and boxer) are always in a fenced-in backyard. If my dogs escaped and were shot by some who felt threatened, that would be a different story.

If I were to ever walk a dog in a park, I'd likely use a leash even it was a cute sugar-puff of small stature like a 20 pound Boston terrier or French bulldog and there were no leash law. I would never dream of walking my aloof German shepherd or even my people-loving boxer without a leash regardless if it wasn't legally required even just for the sake of other folks. I wouldn’t want a stranger’s unleashed 100+ pound German shepherd trotting up to me or my leashed dog and I couldn’t imagine placing that worry on someone else.

 

[45Badger]

If someone were to shoot the dog that is presently living in our house I'd offer to pay for their ammo.

Amen! Anybody got some NOS of that special dog food with wheat gluten?

 

[lance22]

Someone DID shoot my dog ...

When I was 15 I had a poodle-terrier mix ... that was a million years ago, LONG, long before people ever imagined picking up your dogs crap in plastic bags ... back in the day when people let their dogs out for an hour or two and they came back in an hour or two and no harm done.

One day, my dog came back with eyes beginning to glaze, going into shock from blood loss. After an emergency trip to the vet we found out somebody had shot him with a .22 pellet gun. The very large pellet had actually penetrated into his vitals so they meant to kill him.

And things like this ... you just have to let go. I had my suspicions over who did it but nothing I could do except let it go.

Dog's have a very low legal value. When I lived in Florida, we knew a lady who's neighbor had thrown poisoned meat into her yard and killed two of her dogs. The notified the police and they did nothing. In the case of my dog, we found out that even if we caught the person in the act, they probably were not breaking any law, except, if they used a real gun instead of a pellet gun they could be fined for "discharging a firearm in Ramsay County"; but the shooting of the dog itself would have no repercussions. If somebody walked into your yard and killed your dog in front of your face, chances are it would have less legal importance as if they had walked into your yard and kicked over your "garden gnome". This would be even more true if it happened on "state land".

 

[rangermonroe]

I wouldn't shoot someone for simply shooting my dog. I would have drawn down on them when they produced the gun, and would be ready to fire if there were any aggression toward me (a la, swinging toward me). I would assume that killing my dog in my presence was a prelude to killing me, but a certainty, so I would hesitate to drop the hammer.

If my dog were out of my sight, and got shot... I'd be plenty pissed, but ultimately it would be my fault.

I love my beagle, but I question the sanity of folks who consider the family pet on par with their children.

 

[enfield]

Some people shouldn't have dogs and some people shouldn't have guns.

Sometimes they're the same people.

 

[rtroha]

I think everyone knows the difference between a dog who is bearing his teeth and is in an attack posture and a dog who is just wanting to take a sniff of you or who is running around playing .

Bad assumption. Many people have never owned dogs or been around them that much. Just because you are familiar with dog behavior, that doesn't mean everyone else is.

When I walk my dog in a park or in the woods I let her run around off leash . I meet many people who do the same . She is always close , never more than 20' away and never out of my sight .

Are you violating any park rule by allowing your dog to be off-leash?

I ride my bike all the time in the Cleveland Metroparks. There is a park rule that requires dogs to be leashed and the leash to be no longer than six feet. Notwithstanding that rule, many irresponsible idiots allow their dogs to run loose. I have had many near collisions with their dogs.

The one time I did have a collision, I was able to remain upright and not crash. However, since my front wheel slammed into the dog's ribs at about ten mph and it gave quite a yelp of pain, it would not surprise me if one of it's ribs were broken.

 

[JWarren]

Wow... this is an emotional hot-button issue with me. I am an animal lover who loves my two little pups. To be sure, I know I would be angry.

However, I also have to face facts.

If I have my dog out in a public place off a leash, I run the risk that this will happen-- and there is no recourse.

I've been in situations where I felt threatened by people's dogs who were unleashed. I see people that claim thier unleashed dog is controllable, but that requires a LOT of faith on my part. I am on high guard around an large unleashed dog, and unfortunately that dog only has one chance not to screw up. I'd say the same thing if it were my best friend's dog.

As much as I hate to say it, that's the way it is if you plan to take your dog off your property and unleashed. You bear the responsibility, and you accept the consequences.

That is why the "Idiot Twins" are always on my property or in my father's chain-link fenced back yard.


In my case I have to toss out a side analysis:

Mine SHOULD be safe. What kind of sick SOB would shoot a 20 and 13 pound Jack Russell Terrier???

Even more so... What kind of wimp would feel threatened from said "Idiot Twins?"




John

 

[rocinante]

I don't know. I was raised country and any dog that did not know his place was given some severe negative reinforcement until he figured out his place in the world or a death sentence if he was aggressive to people or other animal members of the ranch. My grandfather shot more than one dog of his and neighbors messing with the cattle. IIRC when it belonged to a neighbor there was no second guessing his judgment and sentence.

We really liked our dogs but they never got love status and definitely never advanced to surrogate child status that more civilized people concur on their pets. IMHO there is no better friend than a good dog but his social security and health insurance policy is second class at the very best. There are people so screwed up they would choose a pets life over a humans. If one of my dogs harmed a child I have my own 12 guage animal control device.

 

[outofbattery]

Walking a dog off of the leash is a nice euphamism for not having control of your animal.I don't care how well behaved your animal is for you,other people and other animals are the main concern.If your uncontrolled animal menaces another person on animal,they have the right to defend themselves and likewise,you must take responsibility for your animal when it interacts with another animal that might not be as well socialized as your own.

I formerly was a ranger that dealt with this on a daily basis.As I used to tell people,it's not just your dog and they may very well be the best trained and best behaved dogs ever,it's other people's dogs.I used to have a guy who would walk his Presa Canario every Saturday morning and since he kept to the rules,I couldn't stop him from bringing a powerful and dog aggressive animal on a walk.If you think for a single split second that I would risk my life and limb to step in the middle if your unleashed dog decided to make friends with a dog that didn't like other dogs,you couldn't be more wrong.

Dog owners are a curious breed,they never seem to want to accept responsibility for their own animal's shortcomings,it's always the other person or animal's fault.The best way to avoid those problems is to have full control of the animal.

 

[JWarren]

If one of my dogs harmed a child I have my own 12 guage animal control device.

Happened here a few years ago. A man in our neighborhood has some fascination with training his dogs to be rather aggressive. I've been attacked by one of them in the past. One day his dog got out and mauled a 4 year old boy-- giving him close to 50 stitches.

The dog didn't see another sunrise.


I will say that I do have a love for my dogs and I do not think there is anything odd about that. My father has "joked" with me in the past that "the only time two men really don't have to feel embarassed crying in front of each other is when they are burying one of thier dogs."

I resemble that remark.


John

 

[Cosmoline]

It completely depends on the circumstances. If they are armed and coming towards me on my property, shooting the dog as it approaches, I will defend myself and shoot back. It's a fair assumption they're coming to kill me and the dog's just in the way. Not to be cruel about it, but that's one of the dog's main jobs.

The fact that the dog is off leash has nothing to do with anything. That's like shooting a car because it runs a red light. You get a ticket for going off leash, you don't get shot. Unless my dog was attacking them, they'd be looking down my barrel and had better have a good explanation. Again, I will assume they're a nutter and are planning on killing me next.

If it's on THEIR property the burden shifts the other way, and while I may be annoyed there's not much I can do about it.

I used to have a guy who would walk his Presa Canario every Saturday morning and since he kept to the rules,I couldn't stop him from bringing a powerful and dog aggressive animal on a walk.

So he never caused problems, but you're still convinced he should have been stopped. That reminds me very much of anti-gun cops who are angry that they can't arrest CCW holders. If you don't like dogs, don't get a job in a park.

 

[BobMcG]

Why, if someone shot my dog I'd, I'd.....

Wait, I don't have a dog anymore.... forget it.

No, but seriously, whenever I've had a dog in my life it was always on a leash when I walked it off of my property (as is the law here) and I expect the same from other dog owners. It used to piss me off to see other's dogs running around all the time free while mine were always confined to a leash or on a run in my yard.

As far as I'm concerned, if you don't obey a leash law 'cause you don't care about it, then you're also saying you don't care what happens to your dog while it's loose. Take your chances. You're the one who's supposed to have the superior brain, not the dog. Maybe it's foolish/careless dog owners who should be put on leashes.

 

[Abby]

I AM one of those crazy dog people who treats them like children.

But I don't assume anyone else likes my dogs. I have a German Shepherd - I really don't assume people like her. I'm ALSO aware mine aren't quite trustworthy off-leash.

So they never are. My yard is fenced, but if we're outside the yard, my dogs are leashed. Every time.

I'd be highly irate if someone shot my dogs. So I work pretty hard to ensure they don't end up in a situation where that can happen. The only, only time they're ever allowed to "run" is on my parent's acreage in the woods up north, and I am still standing there and watching them.

 

[beaucoup ammo]

It boils down to being "responsible." Do that, and you've taken "The High Road" so to speak.

My wife and I raised 3 great children now living all over the world. We've got 3 more "kids" here at Rancho Relaxo! I don't begrudge people who don't get the connection some people have with their pets. I have discovered as I mature, however, that I find the company of a good pooch preferable to a lot of the humans I run into.

"Money may buy you a fine dog..but only love can make him wag his tail!"

 

[Picknlittle]

This issue has come up several times recently in my area. Specifically, aggressive breeds attacking children, other pets, joggers etc.

I don't keep dogs anymore, but when I did I understood that I was responsible for the dogs and what they did. It was my responsibility to keep them contained, be that chain, fence or pen. I have no respect for dog owners that allow their dogs to roam at large, digging in flower beds, garbage, and especially when aggressive behavior is present.

Put me in the camp of folks who will shoot an aggressive dog on my property because I have been attacked, I have had pets killed, and I have family members and friends who have been attacked by such dogs.

I live in a county with leash laws that are not enforced. Two pit bulls and a rottwieler (sp) have been in the news lately for killing small dogs who were on a leash. The dogs were tuned back over to the owners with a warning. Well here's the warning ,.... contain it or lose it. Aggressive dogs or aggressive breeds will not be tolerated at my home. I won't wait to be bitten before biting back.

I know this is a touchy subject and I will upset some folks, but the fact is that people choose these dogs because of reputation, then typically teach them to be aggressive (for home protection of course), them fail to control them. They become deadly weapons and the owners should be charged with their crimes and the dogs put down.

That's just my thoughts, I know many won't agree,...some will but won't say it for fear of backlash. Bottom line is that dog ownership brings with it responsibility and accountability.

 

[Ala Dan]

Depends~! If my dogs were rabid (which they are not), then go for it. But,
if someone shot any one of them for pure pleasure, well they would most
likely be facing animal cruelty charges at the very least from the old legal
standpoint. But, on my property I'm the judge and the jury- and I don't play
by governmental rules~!

 

[Dihappy]

Leash law or not, if you want to call yourself a responsible pet owner you will have your dog on a leash or fenced in.

It doesnt matter how angy you get if someone shoots your dog, it wont change the fact that your dog is now DEAD.

So obey the laws and you wont have someone accidentally think your dog was about to attack them.

This goes for dogs out in the country also. In Texas, land owners have a "pet" peave about stray dogs on their land, scaring livestock and deer.

Let your dog on someones private property and chances are you'll never see your dog again.

 

[thedpp]

If your dog is off leash on a public side walk or in my yard and I have reason to believe he may harm me.. you bet I am going to kill it. Just because you trust your dog doesn't mean everyone else does.

 

[ARTiger]

Some people shouldn't have dogs and some people shouldn't have guns.

Sometimes they're the same people.
__________________
- enfield

+1

If you're walking a dog off a leash there's no way to sensibly say you're in control of the animal. How? Some kind of human to animal Jedi mind tricks . . . c'mon. No matter how well trained a dog is it's your responsibility to have "positive control" over it with a leash if in public.

We have small children and about a year ago while at a park, someone's big "controlled" Lab came over jumped on my 2 year old kid and knocked him to the ground fairly hard (then proceeded to lick him all over the face). Happened so fast you wouldn't believe it. Of course the Lab was just being friendly as Labs tend to do. 80 lb. dog vs. 40 lb toddler though. . . Now, think of a (carnivorous) animal twice your weight coming over for a little playing around. (In my case that would be 500+ lbs of animal. ) Would you be sacred?

Well, it terrified by 2 year old son and he's still scared of dogs. I confronted the moron who was also just walking his 2 Labs "off a leash" and told him that him and his dogs needed to go and that if one jumped on one of my kids again that it would be him I'd be coming after (not the dog's fault his owner's an idiot). Had it been a more dangerous breed or as much as growled though, I would have drawn and shot Fido on the spot. I really don't want to shoot somebody's dog, but no way I'm taking the risk of one hurting my kids. That Lab could have as easily chewed out my son's throat after he had him on the ground as lick his face.