Fear at the door.

xxjumbojimboxx · Jul 5, 2014

OK I live in a cul de sac. I know this is crazy, But I've never bothered to note what street the folks behind my fence line lived on. Either way the neighbors dog (Big brindle Pit) got out of their yard but into mine and was still on the leash. There was no way I could stuff her back through, So I grabbed one of my leashed and walked the dog back to the house I THOUGHT. she was from. I rang the bell, waited, rang the bell, waited, and rang it one more time as these people are likely sleeping at 12:21 AM, After the third ring I hear a voice call very timidly, "hello...?" I said I know its late man but I've got your brindle pit bull. Old man starts hollering at me "I ain't got no brindle pit bull!" and this and that. At this point in time I realized that I may have made a bad mistake. His voice sounded as though he was barricaded behind something in the house, and he sounded shook up with adrenaline. I left quickly, I'm in Texas and could shot for such things.

Either way I found the owners house on the next attempt.

I'm still glad I wasn't shot, but at the same time I feel really bad for rattling the guy up.

Should I go apologize to him in the day time? I sure hope he doesn't think there was some Whacko running around the neighborhood or something...

What say ye?

JohnKSa · Jul 5, 2014

...I'm in Texas and could shot for such things.

Of course, you can get shot for scaring a crazy or paranoid person wherever you are, but even in TX, it wouldn't be legal for someone to shoot you for ringing their doorbell in the middle of the night and trying to return a dog.

If you were attempting to break down their door or banging on it while screaming threats or gibberish that might be a different story. But ringing the doorbell, even in the middle of the night doesn't even come close to being legal justification for the use of deadly force.

It probably wouldn't hurt to go explain yourself and apologize in the light of day, but I don't think you should feel obligated to do so. It was an honest mistake.

xxjumbojimboxx · Jul 5, 2014

Thanks john. The "could" portion of it didn't really pertain to the law. To this day I still here people talking about how in Texas you can shoot someone on your property and nothing will happen to you. I know that's false... but for some reason a lot of people still believe it. There is a clause in the law for more leniency at night time too, I don't know why that's the case.. But it is.

PabloJ · Jul 5, 2014

xxjumbojimboxx said:
OK I live in a cul de sac. I know this is crazy, But I've never bothered to note what street the folks behind my fence line lived on. Either way the neighbors dog (Big brindle Pit) got out of their yard but into mine and was still on the leash. There was no way I could stuff her back through, So I grabbed one of my leashed and walked the dog back to the house I THOUGHT. she was from. I rang the bell, waited, rang the bell, waited, and rang it one more time as these people are likely sleeping at 12:21 AM, After the third ring I hear a voice call very timidly, "hello...?" I said I know its late man but I've got your brindle pit bull. Old man starts hollering at me "I ain't got no brindle pit bull!" and this and that. At this point in time I realized that I may have made a bad mistake. His voice sounded as though he was barricaded behind something in the house, and he sounded shook up with adrenaline. I left quickly, I'm in Texas and could shot for such things.

Either way I found the owners house on the next attempt.

I'm still glad I wasn't shot, but at the same time I feel really bad for rattling the guy up.

Should I go apologize to him in the day time? I sure hope he doesn't think there was some Whacko running around the neighborhood or something...

What say ye?

Ok, this not being emergency next time wait until morning to try to return the dog. If owner can't be found call animal services and they will take to pet holding facility.

Longhorn 76 · Jul 5, 2014

I don't see the urgency to go around waking people up at midnight.

SnowBlaZeR2 · Jul 5, 2014

PabloJ said:
Ok, this not being emergency next time wait until morning to try to return the dog.

Yep. We've had a few dogs wake ours up while running around the neighborhood. I have a large cage for my Lab/Pit mix in my garage and a few dogs have stayed in it overnight, or longer.

76shuvlinoff · Jul 5, 2014

Yeah I might have contained the dog maybe given it a bowl of water and waited till daylight.

redneck2 · Jul 5, 2014

Uhhh...mebbe try Google Earth

Rayzor · Jul 5, 2014

Another face to face meeting may be considered as harassment or something.
Maybe just a note in his mail box explaining the confusion and a simple apology.

Robert · Jul 5, 2014

Not seeing this as firearms related. Go apologize to him if you want. I would.

Fear at the door.

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