I don't think it's quite that cut and dried.On the flip side, I have a no second chance stray policy on my farm. Unless it's a neighbour's dog going home, if one shows up here it doesn't leave. Every stray has the potential to become a chicken killer, egg thief, or cause harm to myself or family. Most people don't like my policy, but I don't much care. It's my farm, I pay the taxes on it, and I'll be damned if anyone will tell me what I can and cannot do on it. Happily, the laws of the state of Arkansas support the landowners in cases like this, so that's the least of my concerns. Again, the three S's are a man's best friend in these situations, and most of us will do well to remember that regardless of what we think of the topic at hand.
It's against AR state animal cruelty laws to kill an animal that belongs to another person except in self-defense, when reasonably acting to prevent it from damaging property, or unless the person reasonably believes the animal is a threat to any animal under their care. This is similar wording to what is used for self-defense laws and therefore mere "potential" isn't sufficient justification. That would be like saying that any trespasser has the "potential" to become a deadly threat and therefore shooting them would be justified.
https://law.justia.com/codes/arkans...e-6/chapter-62/subchapter-1/section-5-62-103/
(a) A person commits the offense of cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly:
...
(2) Kills or injures any animal owned by another person without legal privilege or consent of the owner;
https://law.justia.com/codes/arkans...e-6/chapter-62/subchapter-1/section-5-62-105/
(a) This subchapter does not prohibit any of the following activities:
- (1) Reasonably acting to protect a person or a person's property from damage;
- (2) Injuring or humanely killing an animal on the property of a person if the person is acting as a reasonable person would act under similar circumstances and if the animal is reasonably believed to constitute a threat of physical injury or damage to any animal under the care or control of the person.