Shooting a gator in defense of your dog

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Packman

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So, as I was out walking my dog tonight, I noticed the first gator I've seen in the lake near my apartment. This struck me as odd, since I've lived here 4 months, and walked my dog by the lake 3 or 4 times a day, every day. He's just a little bitty gator, maybe 30 inches or so. Right now, no real danger to my dog, but he'll get bigger.

Now, I'm always careful around water with my dogs, but I was curious... Let's say a gator did get a hold of your dog, and starts dragging your best friend in the water. So, you grab your (legally carried) pistol, and through your superior skills as a marksman, put a few rounds though that gator.

Hooray! A happy ending! You've killed the gator, and your best buddy has escaped with only minor puncture wounds which the vet patches up in no time.

So, here's the point of my story. What would be the legal ramifications of shooting a gator in that type of scenario? I looked at FL laws regarding self defense and deadly force, and they all seem rather specific to the two-legged predator.

What say you, The High Road?
 
Dang, Hanzo, you're quick.

I'm also of the opinion that not much of anything would happen.

Would y'all call in to report such an event? I would figure it to be prudent, especially since you're (well, I'm) in a residential area. I don't much imagine they'd even send out a deputy, would they?
 
Don't look at the self defense laws, check the wildlife laws. You may find that a state like FL may have provisions for this.
 
On second thought, they'd probably send someone out. If nothing else, just to clean it up.

lwknight, around where I live, there'll be no shovelling or shutting up. Too many people around, someone would definitely know you used a loudenboomer.
 
it funny

Tuff call, you would be in Defense of your self and loved ones. but your also in the animals turf when by water. Remeber in FL if there is a body of water always think there is a gator in it. I would have a good story worked out for the Gamewarden when they show up. Make sure you yell "look out He's coming right at us"
 
Thirty inches isn't long enough to make a belt. Let it grow a little :)
In all seriousness, if a 30" gator got ahold of one of my dogs, I would probably wrassle him.
If he was a good bit bigger, I'd do my best to give him a case of lead poisoning.
 
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Thirty inches isn't long enough to make a belt. Let it grow a little
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention it. I have a real nice snakeskin belt, and I think a gator belt might be just the thing to keep it company. And I sure do like gator jerky. :)

I would guess that if it's a relatively residential area, the local PD/game warden would more than likely not be horribly upset with me. I'm probably not poaching in that environment, 'specially not using a pistol and then calling it in.

That plus it's my word against his, and gators don't testify, dead or alive. :p
 
As with any shooting, it's up to the local agencies involved to investigate. By the way, there is a group called "The Armed Citizen's Network." I belong to it and they have a newsletter. In this 20 page newsletter, they describe a recent shooting they were invovled with in AZ. From our perspectives (as honest law abiding firearm owners), it was a fairly straightforward case of self-defense. The DA ended bringing the person to trial twice (first was a hung jury). The person using self defense ended up being ok after the trials were over but it was very stressful. Based on this, I would never assume what appears to be justified self defense won't end up going to trial.

http://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-journal
 
Shooting a gator in self defense or in the protection of another (pet included) is fine. If you want you can call the FWC and they will come out and trap the gator and will either relocate it or put it down depending on it's attitude towards people.
 
Alligators that are over 4 feet long may be considered nuisance animals if they are judged to be a threat and will be removed for free by state licensed trappers. I would imagine, "it attacked my dog so I shot it" would not go too far in convincing the FWC that you aren't a poacher. There are just too many people who would be willing to use a dog as bait to poach a gator. The fact that you are also in a residential area means that any shooting especially one ending in the death of valuable public wildlife would be taken seriously and investigated.

As long as you keep your eyes open, you shouldn't have a problem with the gator anyway. But if people feed it and it loses its fear of people, call the FWC. Or get a bigger dog.
 
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I'm not a gator expert, but from the gators I've seen in Florida and watched eat in the swamps I would think that the dog is done for when the jaws snap shut on it.
I'd also imagine that the average low powered carry round in a subcompact wouldn't do much to a gator's hide.
Buy a big dog that can run. I can't imagine a gator being able to snatch a nimble dog like my whippet. On the other hand, I'd love to see one get my father in law's yappy mini dachsund. :0)
 
are you really going to let an alligator eat your dog if its against the law.....?


honestly, if the gator poses a threat to your dog......it poses a threat to your safety as well( not to mention general public safety)......i really wouldnt think twice about shooting it.
 
I would gladly shoot any gator that was attacking my dog. And we spend a fair amount of time in the woods , creeks , ditches and springs, on land and swimming. I always keep an eye out for them.

But, if I had to kill a gator , I would expect that "I would imagine, "it attacked my dog so I shot it" would not go too far in convincing the FWC that you aren't a poacher. " I would expect a large fine as a minimum.

Anybody have any real world examples of the outcome??
 
That wildlife officer should be fired. How do you release a gator that was brash enough to enter someone's home? This is a prime example of law enforcement not serving the people, and that community should not put up with it.

Okay, I'm done with my rant. :)
 
If nobody was there but you and your dog, why would you tell someone it was going for your DOG?

Self-defense of a human is always legal. The fact that your dog was injured while trying to protect you from the gator coming for you doesn't change that.

Give me a break, people...

And if you're a poacher, you're not going to report shooting the gator... Sometimes it's best to be the first to report it.
 
Said it before and I'll repeat it............the FWC WILL......WILL......charge one for doing as the OP postulates.

I am in no manner surprised by the Bradenton incident. and truly that is no less than to be expected. One MIGHT get away with shooting a gator IF one can show tooth marks on one's person.........same goes for bears and most other wildlife in this State. On the latter issue, don't expect any compensation should one of those kill your stock or damage your property..........pop one and you WILL be charged.........some States have compensation funds for predation problems, but Florida is not one of them.

The FWC is a 'Knee jerk' entity, totally staff driven, and has evolved into an agency that least of all represents the hunting/fishing public. It's primary concern has developed into one that is more image driven than in one truly representative of it's original purpose.............doubt that? Well, they've just in the last month outlawed the use of enclosures for coursing fox/coyote due to PETA pressure............outlawed ALL bear hunting about 15 years ago, even in the face of their own scientific evidence that the population in the then opened areas was NOT under threat.

My very best advice is that should one have to exercise lethal force on such a protected critter that one shoot..........let it sink........and shut up!

With no exaggeration, the situation is just that convoluted! I personally know of a case wherein a hunter was formally cited by an FWC officer for killing a rather large (plus 6 foot) diamond back that he nearly stepped on.............the actual cite was "willful and wanton waste of wildlife"!
 
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It did come into her house. She was only issued a warning citation. I think I'd go to the top on this one and have it expunged. SHE WASN'T HUNTING.
ll
 
What would be the legal ramifications of shooting a gator in that type of scenario?
Click to expand...

You going to jail.

You're probably not going to go to jail but you are, at best, going to get a summons for killing a gator and a hefty fine.

While alligator populations have recovered, they are still listed on the federal endagered species list within the "Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance" because they resemble the American Crocodile.

If you have a nuicance gator call 866-FWC-GATOR. It's illegal for the general public to kill or harm an alligator.

Self-defense of a human is always legal.
Click to expand...

Wrong. Can FWC charge you for shooting an alligator clamped onto your leg? Yes. Will they? Depends on the officer.
 
The size of the dog doesn't matter a Gator will eat any size dog. While in Green Cove Springs, Fla the MP's were always reporting seeing dog's being attacked an drug back into the water. We were taught to never have a dog in a boat in that area of the St Johns River. In the 50's and early 60's there was a Moth Ball Fleet kept there.
 
Here in Alabama it is a felony to kill a gator(so is killing a dog). Even harassing a gator will get you arrested. I'm sure the game warden could make allowances for a defense of pooch killing,don't know that they would. We have a lake (Inland Lake) just a few miles from here in north central Al. with a healthy population of gators. I have never heard of a bad encounter with them though.
 
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