Problem with stray pitbulls.

[243_shooter]

Tadyson,

Glad I don't live next door to you.

Shooting an animal that's actively being aggressive is one thing. Shooting an animal out of spite is quite another. Hopefully when your wife's dog get's loose nobody shoots it. It sucks.

There is no worse neighbor than a dog shooter.. Well, maybe a crack house would be worse, but our little corner of the world hasn't sunk quite that low yet.

Leo

 

[Sharpie1]

243_shooter

Instead of making a PERSONAL ATTACK by hurling inappropriate comments, I suggest you stick to the facts.

Shooting a dog out of spite? Did I say or imply that? I don't think so.

I said that it would be considered a threat - because stray dogs are a problem around here. Rabies isn't unheard of, and aggressive dogs running around is also fairly common.

Perhaps where you live, you rarely see a stray dog - or you may have little or no experience with the problem. If that is the case, your situation differs greatly from mine. I have been personally attacked by a stray dog before - outside my home while coming out of my own garage, and it was NOT a pleasant experience. You do what you have to do, I will do what I have to do....mmkay?

Don't put words into people's mouths, and try to respect the opinion of others.

We are trying to have a civil conversation here, with comments by people that are based on experience, and personal opinion. There is NO ROOM for disrespecting another's opinion in productive discourse.

Although I don't agree with your remarks, I respect them - and I believe you mean well, but if you can't make a post without insulting someone, perhaps this isn't the place for you. If you are here to make personal attacks, this DEFINATELY isn't the place for you.

Respectfully,

TD

 

[rust collector]

Out here in cow country we take our animals seriously. Ranchers have no use for coyotes, prairie dogs and antelope, which either prey on or compete with their "animal grazing units". It is a felony, however, to intentionally kill or wound another's animal. Self defense can be claimed, but you had better be able to prove it. A conviction can get you some pen time.

Humans are to be considered innocent until proven guilty, and the legal system gives animals the benefit of the doubt unless and until it's demonstrated that they are vicious. You may disagree with the law that has developed over the past few hundred years, but it is the law. It's also common sense. If the killing is indiscriminate, you're going to be in hot water here, because well loved and cared for pets do sometimes squirt out the door or surprise the person holding the leash. If an animal is clearly threatening you, your loved ones or your property, you start with the least restrictive alternative and work your way across the flow chart.

It is a rotten trick to dump animals out "in the country", and anyone who does it should be locked up. Same with breeders of animals vicious by nature. Do what you have to, but do your homework and check out the local laws first so you don't become a casualty.

 

[Gewehr98]

I'm curious how Tadyson would handle this one:

Several years ago, a stray dog of medium construction and miscellaneous parentage was wondering about my lot. The animal looked scared and confused. I lured it into my garage. It was immediately supplicant, which confirmed my gut instinct about this poor chap. I was thus able to obtain the owner's information from the collar. The owner arrived post haste to claim her lost charge. I refused the offer of a reward, as the sight of two friends being reuinted was quite sufficient for me.

Probably target practice, right? .22-250 probably wouldn't be enough for a friendly, collared, and licensed dog - better get the .45-70 out.

Dang those Chihuahuas! Bloodthirsty little beggars, aren't they?

For the record, I have three healthy, happy, thoroughly mongrel strays that found a home with my wife and I, and they literally walked into our lives. This compassion is coming from a wife that had been attacked by a mean rottweiler several years ago, and yet to this day she has no inclination to start popping off rounds at dogs, what do you suppose is wrong with her? One of our brood was matted, emaciated, and had been living on the road for Gawd knows how long before she took the offering of a piece of my bologna sandwich. Are we set up to take in all of the strays that are dumped off in neighborhoods and country roads? Heck, no. But they represented no threat, and we weren't in any rush to eliminate them. I've dealt with dangerous dogs, and I know the difference, I wouldn't hesitate to drop one if it attacked us. But I'm glad to know there's people out there who'd shoot a dog on sight.

 

[Flashpoint]

I'd hate to say it given I'm the one that started this thread, but if I was a mod. I'd lock this thing down.

 

[MBG]

I am going to assume that Flashpoint knows the difference between a wandering fido and an aggressive semi-feral. If your new town has an animal control process, use that first. But, if you need to take care of the dogs, do it quickly. Don’t maim them to crawl off in pain, and become someone else’s problem.

As for live dumping them in the desert (or woods, or some other less attractive environment); yet another bad idea.

A rescue group I used to work with takes their dogs in from several rural shelters in Virginia. Many of the dogs we adopt out to the DC metropolitan area were boomerangs – starting out locally, dumped in the sticks, and returned to the area via the rescue process.

We had one family in particular, that came through an adoption event at a PetSmart. Mom, Dad and little girl were in to get fish supplies. The little girl was more interested in looking at the dogs, to replace her Snoopy (hound beagle mix), who mysteriously disappeared several weeks before. She sees one of our hound beagle mix’s – and you guessed it – same little Snoopy.

Dad tried explaining that it had to be a different dog, but the kid wasn’t buying it. Mom started scowling, and Dad got flustered. The girl finds out the dog came from Spotsylvania (about 2 hours away) and asks how Snoopy could wander so far. That’s when one of the less tactful volunteers blurted out that pops dumped Snoopy, and made up the BS story.

We adopted Snoopy out to someone else. I think he had it better than the dad that night.

Marty

 

[Flashpoint]

I am going to assume that Flashpoint knows the difference between a wandering fido and an aggressive semi-feral.

That would be a correct assumption. I'm a pretty good judge of doggie character, and have been, at times, able to befriend canines that are normally a little agressive, but these two pits just look like trouble waiting to happen. You can be sure I'll keep a sharp eye out for these two when we actually move in.

MBG, that's a really funny Snoopy story.

They have the same type of program here that they do at PetCo, but I have talked to the lady that runs it and I don't think she would adopt these two out if she was to come into possesion of them.

 

[pax]

Moderator Note

There have been a few borderline personal attacks here. That's not really surprising, given the volatile and emotional nature of the subject -- but I think everyone knows that's not the way we do things on The High Road.

Please, if you can't leave insults and personal remarks out of your writing, don't post at all.

Thank you to the many who have contributed to the thread without indulging in ad homs or other unpleasantness.

pax

 

[Ky Larry]

Personal attacks aside, the best weapon against dog attacks I have found is a short barreled 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot. Also, to avoid overshooting your target, drop to your knees. For distant shots against coyotes, my .243 Ruger or my .22-250 CZ work great. Last year I shot big coyote with my 7mm Rem mag. It was coming toward me about 75 yards away. My shot hit it in the center of it's chest. Not a whole lot left.

 

[Balog]

While I certainly respect the individual's right to determine how to deal with strays, I feel the attitude of many people here is somewhat unrealistic. I'm sure it's driven by the purest motives, but it's still a bit silly. If you want to risk getting mauled by a powerful, possibly diseased carnivore (and sentiment and anthropomorphism aside that's all dogs are folks) that's your business. But I take umbrage at the idea that if I am not willing to take that risk I am some anti-social maniac.

No one can truly know what is in the mind of another human, and attempting to discern the character of a stray dog is even more fraught with peril. This is especially true if you have children. I think it likely that the "compassionate" people on this thread have no practical experience with semi-feral dogs. They are much, much worse than wolves or coyotes. They are akin to state park bears that have grown acclimated to humans. They lack a wild animal's fear of man, but still possess a wild animal's defense mechanisms. While they can be friendly, they can also attack with little or no warning. And even if you have the experience/desire to deal with these dangerous animals, does your spouse? What about your children?
Let me put a hypothetical situation out there and see how ya'll respond.

You live in the suburbs. Well developed, but close enough to "the country" and a small patch of woods that you still get the occasional wild critter wandering in. You are married with two young children and several small to medium sized pets. One day as you are about to leave for work in the morning, you notice a large-ish stray dog walking around your backyard. You attempt to befriend the poor innocent pooch, but he is skittish and runs off. You let your wife know that there is a stray about. You think about calling animal control, but their average responce time to this area is measured in days. What would you do/ plan for your wife to do? Would this plan alter if one of your small pets went missing? What if it came wandering into your yard while your children were out playing?

 

[Sharpie1]

Gewehr98

Personal attacks have no place in a forum such as this.

Intelligent people are trying to have an intelligent discussion.

Pax is correct that this can be an emotional subject for some people, but try to handle yourself appropriately.

Everyone's comments are certainly welcome, and debating the merits of your opinion helps to better inform others, but you should handle yourself in a mature manner.

It doesn't bother me when someone disagrees with me, but when they do - I don't insult and disrespect them.

Sticking to the facts and not talking down to or defaming others shows that you are a responsible adult. Doing otherwise proves otherwise.

Respectfully,

TD

 

[Sharpie1]

Balog

I take umbrage at the idea that if I am not willing to take that risk I am some anti-social maniac.

it likely that the "compassionate" people on this thread have no practical experience with semi-feral dogs

I agree.

...attempting to discern the character of a stray dog is even more fraught with peril.

This is what baffles me. When I read that people actually go up and pet a stray dog, and even FEED it - that just boggles the mind. It's as if they're asking for trouble.

When it comes to situations like this, I think that THINKING is far superior to FEELING about how to handle it.

TD

 

[fix]

I think it likely that the "compassionate" people on this thread have no practical experience with semi-feral dogs.

I have plenty of experience with them.

 

[Gewehr98]

Tadyson, where's the personal attack?

Gewehr98 Personal attacks have no place in a forum such as this. Intelligent people are trying to have an intelligent discussion.

And that's exactly what's happening on this forum - intelligent discussions. I'm sorry if you feel that an opposing viewpoint has automatically become a personal attack. Or are you insinuating that contrary posts like mine are deemed non-intelligent? That would be a slap in the face of the 1st Amendment. Mighty high horse you're sitting on there. I gave you a chance to respond and clarify your position on stray dogs, maybe we mis-read what you posted, and you really don't arbitrarily execute all the wandering canines in your neck of the woods. You opened up a big can of worms by posting your shoot-on-sight solution to a controversial subject, did you expect others here to just accept it as gospel without comment? Oh, please.


Pax, you can do yourself and me a favor and delete my THR account, effective immediately. That saves me the trouble of having to add Tadyson to my ignore list, and deleting yet more of his off-line PM browbeatings. Signal to noise ratio, and all...

 

[Sharpie1]

This has gotten way out of hand. I believe I'm finished with this thread.

TD

 

[pax]

Closed, for depressingly obvious reasons.

pax