imported post
Where I live, pets get loose every now and again. It will happen at least once to most pet owners during the time they own their pet. If my pet wandered off, and someone shot it for no justifiable reason, I would do everything within my rights to seek relief.
In my opinion, it is justified to shoot a dog that is attacking/attempting to attack if the dog might cause
serious bodily harm. In any other scenario, I believe killing the dog would be unjustified.
As others have pointed out, the signs that a dog is about to attack are very clear, if you know what to look for. A dog chasing you isn't always an aggressive behavior. Dogs also play that way.
A dog is a dog and not a human. Should we therefore use any less discretion in determining whether or not to use deadly force? I think not.
The absolute worst thing one can do when being confronted by a dog, or any other animal, in any situation is to show fear the way most people do. We should only expect people to be so afraid, as long as the media continues to condition a fear of 'vicious' dogs into people, and people continue to generalize it.
It's just as bad as the stereotypical 'vicious' pit bull. :banghead: I'll point out -- the bull breeds were bred to be dog-aggressive, not human-aggressive. Any dog will attempt to protect its home, its pack, and its territory (just as humans will.) We're a product of our environment, so are dogs. We make errors in judgment, so do dogs.
Any dog raised in the correct conditions will be vicious, and it really gets my goat when people try to use breed as evidence to say a dog is 'vicious'. Some dogs have a screw loose, just as some people do...
Bill in VA schreef:
I'll preface this by saying it's not directed at anyone in particular, but having read enough of these sorts of threads I felt the need to respond. Idon't know how many threads I've read on here about "I almost had to use my gun because a dog charged me." Having had dogs for almost all of my 40+ years to date, I can tell you that dogs do not randomly and without provocation "charge." Sure, they may run up barking but as Pol Mordreth wrote, it's not the barkling ones you have to worry about, but the snarling and/or silent ones. Honestly, I think so many posters on here are young kids in the 20-something age range who are actively looking for an excuse to use their gun. (Go ahead and flame away...I'm wearing Nomex undies.)
Bill, I see where you're coming from, and mostly I agree with your points. However, I find the whole 'trigger-happy 20-something' stereotype a bit insulting (not that I'm trying to start a flame war either -- just felt the need to respond.) I'm 22, calm, and level-headed. Not every 20-something is trigger-happy, nor is every trigger-happy person a 20-something.