Vicious dog @ large

[TallPine]

Just though maybe some of you would have some ideas on this situation ....

Yesterday morning my 16 year old twin daughters were attacked by a large dog running loose. They were walking their own dogs before school, when two dogs ran up to them and one started attacking their dogs on leashes. One daughter took all of our dogs while the other tried to shoo away the loose dogs. In the process, the larger dog bit her hard on her arm, but she was wearing a heavy coat and was only bruised, no skin puncture. They had a cell phone with them, but they were only a block and a half from the sheriff's office so she ran there for help. A deputy responded but the offending dogs were gone by that time. A report was filed and I went down to pick them up from the SO.

Then, about mid-morning, my wife spotted these same two dogs on Main Street - called sheriff and another deputy responded and started following the dogs in his patrol car.

Now, I just talked to the dispatcher again for an update, and was told that this deputy followed these dogs all over town but could not find the owner and - get this - "could not catch the dogs"

This has me just a little disturbed and confused. I can't legally shoot a dog in town (unless in immediate fear of life or injury) even if I went out and found them. But the dang deputy can't catch the dogs so we are right back where we started.

Any thoughts on this situation ....?

Shouldn't the deputy just shoot a a vicious dog at large?

 

[Leatherneck]

Let's see...large dogs with recently demonstrated "attitude" and willingness to attack humans and domestic dogs. Hmmm. I'm thinkin' posse here. Rifle or handgun as appropriate for surroundings, and: Problem Solved. Seems pretty basic to me. I'd investigate finding the irresponsible owner as well. It's really their fault, not the dogs'. But the pups get to pay the price. Sad. Glad your daughters are OK.

TC
TFL Survivor

 

[meathammer]

I think any dog attacking people out in public should be put down. The dog is not defending his owner/home so there is no way to justify its behavior.

 

[TallPine]

Yeah, my feelings exactly.

But how do I handle "Problem #2" - that is, discharging a gun within city limits and whatever else they throw at me?

I really am not the kind of person to bitch and complain, but I am thinking that I need to talk to our newly elected sherrif about this. What the heck good is law enforcement if they won't do anything except keep the innocent from defending themselves?

In the meantime, our daughters are now carrying pepper spray when they walk their dogs.

 

[TracerSpies]

Tall, PLEASE don't depend on pepper spray to defend against aggressive dogs!

 

[TallPine]

Yeah, the dog might take it away from her and use it on her!

I guess the law in this town is that your dogs must be kept on a leash or in a fenced yard unless the dog can outrun the deputy.

Isn't this just a microcosm of our whole society?

 

[motorep]

"Sorry, officer, they just ran out in front of my car- then the back of my car- then the front....."

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

My parents lived next door to a guy who's daughter was bitten so severely that she almost lost her ear. When her father shot the dog PB in the head, killing the dog instantly he was led away in handcuffs to face a discharge in city limits offense. Nobody ever claimed to own the dog and animal control picked it up. Personally, I would do the same thing. Kids are bitten and mauled by dogs fairly frequently.

 

[TallPine]

"Sorry, officer, they just ran out in front of my car- then the back of my car- then the front....."

Hmmm ... so the best weapon in this case might be a .75 caliber (ton) 1976 GMC ...?

Need to go out and drive around a while to charge the battery, I guess


edit: just noticed that this is my post #243 - suppose that is trying to tell me something?

 

[Bahadur]

First of all, I am of the thought that a dog that attacks a human without a mitigating circumstance (protecting its owner, self-defense against an abusive human, etc.) should be destroyed.

Now, let's look at your situation:

They were walking their own dogs before school, when two dogs ran up to them and one started attacking their dogs on leashes. One daughter took all of our dogs while the other tried to shoo away the loose dogs.

What exactly do you mean by "shoo away"?

Then, about mid-morning, my wife spotted these same two dogs on Main Street - called sheriff and another deputy responded and started following the dogs in his patrol car.

Shouldn't Animal Control handle this? In many areas, Animal Control responds rather promptly to loose dogs, particularly ones that bite people. In many juridictions, a single bite will lead to destruction.

Shouldn't the deputy just shoot a a vicious dog at large?

Well, the deputy cannot establish the dog as being "vicious" and simply blast it away especially if it hasn't shown any aggression in his presence.

 

[El Tejon]

TallPine, ordinance violation or misdemeanor? Is there a public official exception to the statute?

If so, how about: "raise your right hand and swear"? Will the Shire-reeve make you a deputy or "public health worker" at least temporarily?

Have you called the city/county attorney? Have you bugged the mayor's office? County commissioner's office? Dogs have tags? Anyone missing them? Squeak, you squeaky wheel, you, squeak.

Until then, be safe, stay prepared, stay alert and watch your backstop.

 

[TallPine]

What exactly do you mean by "shoo away"?

Not sure, I wasn't there. Probably waved her arms and hollered - whatever a person would naturally do to defend themselves and their own pets.

Shouldn't Animal Control handle this?

This is Hickville, MT. County of about 4,000 people; sheriff's dept covers both the town and entire county, and of course is responsible for animal control and who knows what else.

Well, the deputy cannot establish the dog as being "vicious" and simply blast it away especially if it hasn't shown any aggression in his presence.

So they have no means to catch a dog, vicious or otherwise, who runs from the deputy. My dog gets loose, she will run up to the deputy and lick his/her face; jump right in the car - "can we go for a ride?" ... slurp, slurp, slurp ... Besides, they all know our kids and dogs and where we live.


Thanks for your input, everyone - keep it up. I need to vent a little.

 

[TallPine]

El Tejon:

I guess the first step would be to talk to the Sheriff himself - he just took office in Janauary. I know him from the shooting club, etc - it's a small town.

I'm just trying to wind down a little so I don't start off with him on a rant, and also - to feel out some others to see if I am blowing this out of proportion. Sounds like most everyone on THR feels about the way I do about aggressive dogs. I love dogs (we have 3) but I have no use for a dog being aggressive unless it is in defense of family and home.

 

[Atticus]

Catch the dogs- put them in your car- drive to Tennessee and throw your drivers license out on the highway. Someone will be along shortly to shoot them

 

[HABU]

Catch the dogs- put them in your car- drive to Tennessee and throw your drivers license out on the highway. Someone will be along shortly to shoot them

ROFLMAO!

Tall
Take the dogs out for a few hours till the bad dogs show up and commence firing.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I believe a letter to your county sheriff is in order.

 

[Gordon]

Chase the dog out of town, and be packin...

 

[Steel]

I can't legally shoot a dog in town (unless in immediate fear of life or injury) even if I went out and found them. But the dang deputy can't catch the dogs so we are right back where we started.

There are other more stealth means!

use your imagination

 

[NewShooter78]

Sounds like you're in a bind. But I'm sure you could work something out with your sheriff. Being such a small town, and knowing a few Montanians (mom's family is from Whitefish) myself, I doubt that many people would raise a fuss of "putting down" a few feral dogs. And since one of them already attacked one of your daughters, the issue is pretty cut and dry. They already have shown their aggresive behaviour and proven they are both dangerous and confrontational. Pretty soon a few cats or other small domestic animals will start to go missing, and/or someone else will be attacked. Keep us posted on how this develops.

 

[mdsteele]

Catch the dogs- put them in your car- drive to Tennessee and throw your drivers license out on the highway. Someone will be along shortly to shoot them

I rarely ever bust out laughing, but that surely did it.


Oh and Tall, I'd do what HABU said. I have did this before.

 

[KMKeller]

Atticus - That was absolutely the best laugh I've had all day.

 

[TallPine]

Update:

Talked with the Sheriff himself at lunchtime (actually, went out for a walk and he was driving right past our house ).

He said that the owners have been found and ticketed. (and the dog is presumably contained) The sheriff's dept will go to the city council next week to see if they can get an order to destroy the dog (at least the larger one). Believe me, it really IS a small town.

The deputies don't carry their noose-pole catchy-thingy because it doesn't fit in the car.

It still bothers me a little but I have to leave it in official hands for now. The sad part is that the offending dog has probably been abused.

We have a contract on a place out of town and hope to move within 60 days. AFTER that, any vicious dogs (or other critters ) had better beware because I WILL shoot them.

I think I am going to get a 12 gauge Rem 870 for general purposes.

 

[TheeBadOne]

Sounds like your City/Township needs an Animal Control Officer. Chasing stray dogs really isn't Police work (as evidence by the equipment you need). If you don't have an animal control officer time to speak to your city/township about creating the position and hiring one. If you have a larger city nearby often you can contract to have your animal control officer use their kennels which can save you $$$.

 

[Greg L]

TBO,

TallPine said that they are in the middle of nowhere MT with a small population base on top of that. I'm sure that the last thing that they need or want is another .gov employee with little or nothing to do most of the time.

TP,

I was kind of surprised about the ordinance about shooting in town. I drove through MT this summer (US2) and even in a town there didn't seem to be much to hit if you missed your target.

Greg

 

[TallPine]

Greg:

Yep, the "High Line" is pretty barren.

Our town is about 2,000 people. Just big enough to be a pain. The city council is a little bunch of dictocrats. Rules about everything and even the sheriff is PO'd about it. Funny thing is, that our situation is going to be a test case for a bunch of new laws that they crammed down our throats last fall. We were at the council meeting then along with the acting Sheriff at the time. Basically, they want to punish the responsible dog owners for those that are not responsible and let their dogs run loose, no vaccinations, etc. So they upped the license fees, and made a two dog limit on residences - no exception for the amount of land that you have (I have a quarter of a city block). I kept thinking: "if dogs are outlawed, only outlaws will have dogs."

I don't think that the sheriff should go around just shooting loose dogs, but if a dog can't be caught without injuring the officer, then IMO it is vicious and should be "caught" with the shotgun.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out ....

TBO:
You folks from the "USA" really don't understand what is is like out here in the "territories" Ninety percent of the dots on the map have less than 500 people. Don't know what you mean by "nearby" - around here that translates to about a hundred miles.