so how much trouble am I in?

[mountainpharm]

OK, so for the last 2 days there has been a stray cat behind the house meowing and carrying on at all hours of the night. I went to work this morning on 1 hour of sleep (I'm a hospital pharmacist). I spent about 2 hours chasing it all over my property this afternoon in an attempt to catch it and take it to an animal shelter, to no avail. Around 5:30 I finally shot it. I didn't kill it and my son was with me and freaked out -- wouldn't let me finish it off. Long story short, he brought it back to the house and my wife got on the phone trying to find an emergency vet. Somewhere in the phone calls, she was advised to call Animal Control (without my knowledge). She got the Animal Control guy on the phone and he said for me not to leave the house -- that he needed me present to process the situation. I'm sitting here waiting for him now. Should I be at all concerned? I live in NC, by the way.

 

[chevyforlife21]

im pretty sure all domestic animals count as much as shooting a person. think about when a criminal shoots a officers dog, he gets years in prison for it. yes i would be scared in your case man.

 

[bigeye]

Remember, never speak to police. If the animal control can arrest you on your responses, or refer them to a prosecutor - - -I would be in contact with my attorney FIRST. Sad lesson for your son. When this is all over sit down with him and have a long talk. YOU are his most important person. Do not put yourself in a position of having him visit you behind bars.

 

[HexHead]

im pretty sure all domestic animals count as much as shooting a person. think about when a criminal shoots a officers dog, he gets years in prison for it. yes i would be scared in your case man.

I'd say there's a difference between someone's pet and a feral animal.

 

[chris in va]

I'm sure someone will be along to give you the NC statutes, but it just depends on the state and locality. Some states allow shooting/killing of feral animals, others don't. Don't panic just yet.

However if the AC officer starts hinting you need to "come with us" etc, I'd shut up and retain a lawyer. My friend in VA got charged with a felony for shooting a feral cat, only because the neighbor had been feeding it and reported him to the police. His conviction was a misdemeanor only because his lawyer was pretty darn good.

 

[HexHead]

BTW, hindsight being 20/20, you should have just called animal control in the first place to come pick it up.

 

[Forklift352]

If you lived in Oregon you wouldn't have time to post....
Tear gas would cloud your vision and the flash bang grenade would
leave you deaf.

 

[bigfatdave]

Well, that was stupid. And I work a rotating shift, so I understand your frustration about getting some sleep. I can even understand the lapse in judgment while sleep deprived, to some degree. Being sleep deprived doesn't give you a free pass, however.
You now get to explain all about discharging a firearm in a residential area, explain why you felt a kitten was a threat to your health and safety, perhaps go through a grilling about why you were packing.

Next time, get a humane trap, bait it with a can of tuna, and remove the critter to a remote location. Or at least dispatch the feral wildlife in a humane (and effective) fashion before a household member decides to make a pet of it.

If you brought in a stray, you should be checking for fleas (and other vermin) on your other pets and household members, by the way.

 

[mountainpharm]

I guess I should say that I do not live in the city limits so at least the discharging of a firearm won't be a problem. Still waiting on the guy to show up. Will post a follow-up to let you know what happens.

 

[Birdmang]

If you are going to shoot an animal then you should do it and finish it off, then throw it in the garbage. No reason to call anyone.

Too late for that.

 

[tkendrick]

Hamburger meat and D-con rat poison. It's not as satisfying, but it works every time.

 

[kingpin008]

For those who have advocated calling animal control, good luck with that. I've worked for animal resuces and had to call animal control officers myself in the past, and unless the animal is a direct threat to itself, a domestic pet, or a human they'll usually tell you to go pound sand. This is in the suburbs, mind you - not way out in the sticks where there are always animals around.

Also, good luck getting them to come out after hours (usually any time after five or six p.m.) even for an emergency. In most locales, it's just not gonna happen.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Seems like a lot of very bad advice so far.

I frankly doubt if you are going to see prison time for shooting a feral cat. You might have handled it better, but you are guilty of being human.

I would be willing to bet that animal control would rather you had just killed the cat.

And before everybody jumps all over me, I'm a cat lover and have four of my own, but feral cats are a big problem.

 

[FlyinBryan]

first off. i would not have shot the cat. they make live traps that are actually fun to use and they dont hurt the animal. i have one and have used it many times for just the same situation.

trap the stray animal, and haul it to the country.
i know that does not help you now, but it might in the future.

it also doesnt help to suggest that you dont take your boy on your missions, so that you can put that animal out of its misery.

if i shot it, and wounded it, boy or not, id have to finish it.

 

[alemonkey]

I've worked for animal resuces and had to call animal control officers myself in the past, and unless the animal is a direct threat to itself, a domestic pet, or a human they'll usually tell you to go pound sand.

I've had the same problem myself...at my old house someone in the neighborhood had a Weimeraner that they just let run loose all over the place. It was always getting into trash cans and making a mess. I called animal control and they told me if I wanted anything done I had to catch it myself. I tried, and it nearly bit me, but they still did nothing.

Back on topic, feral cats are a huge problem. They kill an awful lot of wildlife. I have a cat myself, but he's indoor only. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a feral one if I lived out in the country.

 

[iiibdsiil]

If the discharging the gun won't be a problem, I doubt the cat will be either.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors// Was it acting strange like it had rabies maybe. Could be threat to family.

oh and +1 to #6

I lived in York county S.C. beside a lake. Saw a big cotton mouth on a log half in/out of the water near my hammock. Called Sheriff to inform them about dischargeing shotgun with #7 shot.(right at waters edge all the neighbors would see/hear some might call) . They asked how far across water to others. Determined ammo would not skip. They said go for it. I never heard another thing.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

trap the stray animal, and haul it to the country.

Where it will either starve to death or be eaten by coyotes.

Bad advice. I don't want your problem animals in my neighborhood.

And folks, coyotes don't usually bother humanely killing their prey before eating it.

 

[hirundo82]

trap the stray animal, and haul it to the country.
i know that does not help you now, but it might in the future.

That just makes it someone else's problem. It sounds like the OP lives in the country, so there is a significant possibility that what you are describing is what caused the problem in the first place (someone dropping the cat off along the side of the road).

I like cats, but if you do live-trap one there are only two responsible ways to take care of it--either drop it off at the pound, or kill it humanely. What the OP was trying to do is not irresponsible if done correctly/humanely, and is not against the law in most sane states (NC is borderline).

 

[.38 Special]

So you got ticked off, shot a housecat, freaked your son out to the point that he "wouldn't ALLOW you" to finish it off, and then your wife tried to find a vet to save the life of the cat you intentionally shot?

Brother, you've got bigger problems than a little trouble with animal control!

 

[MountainBear]

Sorry to be disgusting, but the proper term for you living outside the city limits is Shoot, Shovel, and Shut-Up.

Feral cats are an issue all over. Relocating them simply shifts responsibility to another area where they can reproduce there. You started the day right by trying to humanely (shooting is humane, not finishing it was not) dispose of a pest. Next time leave or send the kid home and finish the job. Being outside the city limits, I assume you should be fine legally speaking.

 

[jdub3]

I agree with .38 special. Not sure how old your son is, but he either shouldn't have been there for the event or you should have finished the cat off despite his wishes.

Hope you don't face any serious consequences, financial, legal or domestic.

 

[Bruno2]

I dont think that this will be an issue . Out of the city limits shoot as you desire . Ferrel cat or nusiance . I dont know why they want to talk to you . I wouldnt worry about it . I would ask him a lot of hypothetical questions before I started answering his .

A police dog is considered a police officer even kicking and punching them while they are attacking you is considered assaulting an officer .I am pretty sure this cat wasnt part of your LEO .

 

[Erik M]

im pretty sure all domestic animals count as much as shooting a person. think about when a criminal shoots a officers dog, he gets years in prison for it. yes i would be scared in your case man.

ok, PETA, definetly wrong on this one. A police officers dog is property of a police department and therefore the animal itself and its training is an asset of the taxpayers. That is why he counts as an officer. I would tell animal control that the animal was feral and you feared that it might harm your child or one of your domentic animals. In fact tell them thats what it was trying to do.

 

[9MMare]

Hamburger meat and D-con rat poison. It's not as satisfying, but it works every time.

This is wrong. You have no control over what animal(s) you will kill with that. It's irresponsible.