Okay... haven't posted on this thread, 'cause...well...y'all seem to be having too much fun and are pretty amusing.
That said, I'm a dog owner. Got 4 of 'em. Big one is 115 pounds, the little one is about 55. All 4 would have you for lunch if you come onto my property uninvited.
Here's the thing though; TN has a leash law. It applies to both dogs AND cats. Meaning the owner is responsible for the animal and any destruction it commits. Human, property... it doesn't matter.
So I keep my animals up and supervised. They don't get loose unless I'm right there.
Also, I've shot and killed 2 dogs in the last 10 years for aggressive behavior. This was after talking to the owners. Neither did what they needed to do. (keep the animal penned up and off my property ).
For what it's worth, 3 rounds of 12 ga. 00 magnum buckshot will flatten an 85 pound dog at 20 yards, no problem. No. 8 shot will, to my surprise, kill dead-out, a 50 pound dog at 15 yards. ( this was actually a surprise to me. Figured to sting him and send him home. Didn't know I'd need to dig a damned hole...
)
Point being?
The owner is responsible for the dog. That's the beginning and end of it.
It gives me reason to draw, I will.
It gives me reason to shoot.... I most certainly will.
Only person that can prevent either of these two events is the animal's owner.
So, to wrap it all up, I don't blame the OP for his decision... as others have said, I wasn't there.
I do blame the pet owner for even allowing the situation to occur, however, laws or no laws, and would expect the same treatment of any of my own dogs, should it happen.
J.C.
P.S. I grew up working a farm, where we had to kill wild dogs on a regular basis. There's been several times that we've had stacks of dead canines taller than I was . You should see what that many feral dogs can do to a herd of cattle. It ain't pretty and it ain't cheap.
Keep your damned dogs up. They DON'T have a right to run loose, I don't care what your local laws say.
J.
P.P.S. No. 3 is on the verge. Folks next door won't keep their boxer up. The folks the other side of me have already been backed into their house once by him.
That won't happen here unless the animal is bullet-proof.