chp
Member
But you can understand it ... right ?
No - not where my dog got away from me, I'm pursuing her and where she showed no aggression to the people.
But you can understand it ... right ?
She pulled out of her collar in the front yard the other day and ran up to a couple walking their little dogs across the street.
The couple about peed their pants. . . . . .
but I would really hate for someone to shoot her in that situation. [/IMG]
But you can understand it ... right ?
No - not where my dog got away from me, I'm pursuing her and where she showed no aggression to the people.
I have shot aggressive dogs in my yard in the past and would have shot that one.
We had a pit bull set up housekeeping in our back flower bed one summer at our rural residence. My two boys were very small. I made the mistake of trying to run it off the first time. It behaved aggressively. After it was gone I began to regret that I didn't put it down.
It returned the next day to the wallow it had made. I shot it with a 10 gauge shotgun loaded with magnum buckshot.
Unconfined dogs at rural residences may appear to be harmless and innocent, lounging in the shade of the porch during the day, but they will pack up together and roam, especially at night. Livestock may be lost.
I've shot dogs for running cattle too.
A local friend recently lost a bunch of his goats to three dogs from various neighboring places. Some thoughtless peoples' irresponsibility and negligence with their own pets amazes me.
We now live in town. Don't get me started on loathsome cats. Some of those "disappear."
There are a lot of folks, me included, who would consider a 125 lb dog off the leash charging toward them as certainly showing aggression. You might be pursuing the dog, but how much damage could the dog do in the 10 to 15 seconds it might take you to get there? Sorry, but if I saw a 125 lb dog charging toward me and my wife, and I had the means to stop it before it got there, I would do so.
Would a layman who didn't know your dog consider it NOT aggressive in the situation you describe?I hear ya - but you had to be there to understand that it was not aggression. Hard to relate over the internet . . .
Would a layman who didn't know your dog consider it NOT aggressive in the situation you describe?
Bottom line:
- I have no legal duty to know ANYTHING about how to handle dogs.
- I have no legal duty to know your dog's personality.
- You have a duty to control that dog such that it's not a threat to third parties.
Sophie wanted to see the dogs the couple was walking and ran up to them and sniffed them. No other drama.
.
The couple about peed their pants.
You have related two different incidents, maybe? Sounds to me like the couple did indeed fear for their safety and that of their dog.
No - not where my dog got away from me, I'm pursuing her and where she showed no aggression to the people.
Wheelgunner,I had to read all the replies before posting this just to make sure no one has asked. Were the dog owners made aware of what had transpired? If so, what was said by you, and what was said by them? Did they start in with the "No need to pull a gun on our precious poochie!"? Did you give them an earful about having been attacked by their dog? Did any of the other neighbors have a problem with you discharging a firearm in the neighborhood?
BTW, I think you did the right thing, but would have been justified in shooting the dog as well.
WG840
To me, that sounds like, "I would only have shot the mugger if he'd stabbed or shot me."One of the reasons I did not shoot the dog was I had not heard of anyone having been bitten previously, and idiotic as it sounds, I would only have shot the dog if it had actually bitten me.
I hear ya - but you had to be there to understand that it was not aggression. Hard to relate over the internet . . .
I don't think you take the possibility of PERMANENT injury seriously enough.
The possibility of over-reacting and making a huge mistake also needs to be taken pretty seriously. The incident described and the OP's handling of it show how well things can work out if there is a moment to assess and respond, and someone level-headed enough to make good use of it rather than shooting first and asking questions later.