Was my advice good? Woman vs 6 Pitbulls

[gunsmith]

Y'know

I fergot that norcal isn't America, so no AR's

tell her I said get a lever action 30-30!
that'll do the trick.

 

[lathedog]

Early and often. Pepper spray them ahead of time to get them used to avoiding you.

I love dogs and had a great big pit that was the greatest. But if the dogs have been abused to the point where they are a danger, then they are a real danger. Instead of a shotgun I'd go with a FAL or similar at 200yds. Screw sportsmanship at that point.

Go visit the local police and try talking to them. Get them sympathetic to your plight now, rather than try to create sympathy after the shooting starts. Ask them to take a look at the property to see if they can provide tips on how to protect yourself. Maybe you'll get lucky and the dogs will act aggressive towards the police. Letting the local police take care of business is much better than being a defendant yourself down the road.

Live capture traps and tasty hamburger, combined with a nice car ride far away, can be good for a dog's appreciation of your hospitality. Seven trips in seven days and the problem will seem like ancient history.

I am out of good ideas for this difficult situation.

 

[LaibYechiel]

It's possible that she may get a better response from her Code Enforcement Department (building, zoning, etc.), particularly if she has local laws concerning keeping more then a certain number of pets, or the keeping of junk, garbage, or debris on ones property.

The only thing worse then a BAD neighbor is a bad neighbor with dangerous or threatening animals.

I wish her good luck on this.

Peace and Blessings,
Laib

 

[kungfuhippie]

I've been attacked by a pack of dogs

Best advice- Lawyer up lawsuits are more threatening then bullets in this situation. In California a pitbull taken in by AC is as good as dead, Don't just call AC, take the pictures there and talk to the head guys. Low level state employees won't do anything they might get in trouble for.

I was in Ecuador, unarmed, and surounded by a pack of shrimp farm dogs. They backed us up to a shrimp pool, thank God the owner came out and called them off before they all jumped me. Rabbies shots suck! After that I got a plastic BB "toy" pistol and a switchblade (getting a handgun there was not possible) that toy would send the toughest street dog running, I was hit by it through jeans once, left a bruise. better than nothing, Not a fun situation, but when dogs are in a pack they incourage each other, a pump shotgun will not be enough, Semiauto shotgun would do, if she can handle it. If it wern't California I'd suggest an "assault weapon" with a 30+rd mag of hp or sp ammo and a sharp bayo no handgun for a pit bull, pepper spray just makes them mad.

 

[ambulldog]

An owner who can't contain their own dogs deserves to have them taken away. Be it a pit bull or a chihuahua (which are vicious little things), I dont understand how someone can allow their dogs to get out. I have two large strong dogs and I can't imagine allowing them the oppurtunity to get out of the yard. Besides just other peoples safety, I'd be concerned about my dogs getting hit by a car or something. It sounds like the owner needs an ass beating.

 

[razorburn]

From the pictures she showed me the dead pit looked to be the same size as the others.

It was a pit bull for sure. My neighbors in OK had several Pits and they were fundogs to play with and licking machines. Loved 'em.

If they're 125 lbs like you said, they're definately not pit bulls. They simply don't get that big. They were orginally around 35-40lbs fully mature, as the american pit bull terrier, but after they become popular as a "tough guy dog" breeding has bumped them up and created some "bully pits" around 70lbs. But definately not 125.

Most people can't tell a pitbull from the couple dozen other breeds that look like them, since they're pretty nondescript, and almost any other short haired, square headed dog looks like what people think is a pit bull. It takes an experienced eye to be able to discern the different breeds. Can you find the real pitbull from the 25 other breeds shown on the following link?

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Take 3 tries, be honest!

 

[Imaginos]

.40 S&W Didn't Work

On Tuesday night (11/14), I saw a news story where Fort Worth, TX police officers shot a "pitbull" that came after them.

The TV tape showed what looked like two entrance wounds in the dog's chest and shoulder as it was being loaded into the animal control truck. The dog was still awake enough that the animal control officer used the pole leash to load it. According to the report, the dog finally bled out at the animal shelter some hours later because the shelter vet technician doesn't work on weekends.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Since the Mossberg fits her and she feels confident with it, the gun is not at issue. While the neighbor is source of the problem, the immediate concern is the dogs. That said, I hope she knows enough to take out the dominant alpha animal first. As for the neighbor, I wonder if he's got a meth lab inside or other illegal activity.

 

[kd7nqb]

I think you did the right thing all the way, for most of this on the board a 3.5" magnum might be the option but if an 870 was too big for her than thats not realistic. Also I might be wrong but even if you only sold her smaller shells, depending on the part of California I imagine it will take like 6second for cops to be there once they report of "SHOTGUN BLAST" comes in. Of course I would suggest that you ask her to take a course of some sort or at least go to a shotgun range so she can get the feel for the gun.

 

[ZeSpectre]

My advice in this situation runs along the lines of...

1) Video surveilance - Set something up and leave it running.
2) Advice call to a lawyer - Most will give a free initial consultation
3) Pepperspray "fogger" that can be kept with you (so you might be able to get away)
4) Rifle someplace where you can "fort up" and use it.

 

[OpFlash]

No way I would recommend 3" magnum shells in a 12G pump to a woman, especially one inexperienced with a shotgun. Dogs attack in packs. She needs to be comfortable taking multiple shots, so she needs to learn to shoot it before a pack is running at her. She will be intimidated (and probably bruised) by the recoil. Get her some instruction on how to hold it correctly and some actual shooting practice. Tell her to use 2 3/4" shells and get a Limbsaver.

 

[High Planes Drifter]

+1 on recomending the 20 over the 12. Thats still really bad odds; her with a shotgun vs. 6 dogs, pitts no less. she may do better with an electric fence or something to keep the dogs from getting in her yard in the first place. .


I'd also recomend that she keeps a log of every contact she made with police and AC. If she is forced to shoot, and it does (will) go to court her records will come in very handy.

 

[KC&97TA]

If she doesn't have dogs of her own... may I sugest... chicken soaked in anti-freeze as a good dog detterent. I guess I don't know the laws concerning rancid poisoned meat in the yard?

I agree with the shotty, but it's doubt full she'll carry it like she would a pistol, while around the yard. I took a 111lb female to the trap range yesterday and had another small framed woman up there as well, both did good with full sized 12ga shotguns.

This is a neighbor problem, not a dog problem... but the dogs are the evil here and have been mis-managed by thier owner. In a perfect world it would be legal to dispose of both problems not just the puppy dogs.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I can't help thinking that a handgun would be more convenient. The ideal, of course, would be a shotgun in the house and a handgun in the purse.

I also think you should advise her to get one of those game cameras, the ones you tie onto a tree that has a motion sensor and starts taking pictures when that trophy buck strolls by. She should mount it somewhere that overlooks the portion of the fence that's busted down, and use it to monitor the area. If any dogs wandr in, she'll have photographic proof.

 

[vynx]

You know this is California - I think to have more than 4 or maybe it starts at 4 dogs you need a Kennel License (at least down south it may be diff. where she is) that may be why he hid some dogs, get pic's of all 6 or 7 and send them to the AC ... they will want their money and want to enforce the kennel codes - also the USDA (federal agency) employs Veterinarians that inspect kennels and places that have live animals (Vertrinary Medical Officers).

Turn him in to the USDA - sik the Fed's on him. Send them the pictures and say its an illegal dog fighting training camp! When they do the raids they bring in everybody, FBI, BATFE, USDA, etc. I had a friend who worked for the USDA and went on some of the raids and I saw some of his pictures. They take it seriously.

 

[Outlaws]

Get a knife!

The pepper spray stuff is a good suggestion.

But I would suggest a good knife to be carried no matter what she does on the gun issue. You can't (well, won't want to) fire a shot gun if the dog manages to get your leg. But a knife Buck knife (119 or a Zipper) would be awefully handy for a last resort. I cna't think of many animals that will stick around if their guts on spilling onto the ground.

 

[PX15]

I'm gonna get crucified here but here's my old farts opinion...

I love animals.. I believe that if you accept the responsibility of having a pet, or pets, you must accept the responsibility of controlling them..

Nobody loves your pets like you do.. Not Grandma, not the neighbor.

If you chose to have dogs, and those dogs are the ones who have deservedly, or NOT deservedly gained a bad reputation for being dangerous (and pit bulls are at the top of the current list) you are asking for trouble.

I'm not talking about somebody killing your dogs either, I'm talking lawsuit time...

As to this specific case. I'm a believer in asking the owner of the vicious dogs ONE time to solve the problem.. After that I would never say another word to him. I would call Animal Control (if there was such a thing) and document the problem.... I live in the country, we don't have an Animal Control.. I have to be my own Animal control.. In our case I would call the Sheriff and complain about the problem to him..

After that I would never again breathe a word to anyone.. But the very next time the dogs came in my yard I would take my favorite High Standard 12ga. pump riot shotgun and kill 'em all..... (I prefer #4 buck).

If a complaint was filed against me I would say the dogs were attacking me and I defended myself..

By the way, I don't think pit bulls are deserving of the bad rep. they have. I have owned two in the past and they were sweethearts. A bulldogs aggressiveness is directly towards other dogs, not people.. It's a nature, "Alpha dog" thing.

I think you can make any dog "bad", and generally the problem can be traced back to the owner, not the breed.

I'm sneaky enough that if the owners of the "attacking bad dogs" were not home when I delivered true judgement to the dogs I would scoop the remains of those suckers up, put 'em in a large trash bag, throw 'em in the back of my truck and take them 50miles down the road to another county and deposit their worthless carcasses in the woods someplace.. I'm sure the buzzards would be appreciative.

But I'm not a nice guy, and I thank the Good Lord I don't live in some politically correct, brain dead, jurisdiction where a bad dog has more protection than innocents..

Oh yeah.. Chances are the Sheriff here would take me aside when I complained and tell me to shoot the "damn things" the next time they bothered me or my family.

Maybe it's a Southern thing?

Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy

 

[Vermonter]

Definately want to use buck shot. A guy here in VT was charged with animal cruelty for shooting his neighbors aggresive dog with birdshot.

I bet the neighbor will watch them better once she starts carrying the shotgun around the yard

 

[crunker]

This is a real nightmare.

Thanks to California's strict gun control, this lady is going to have a hard time getting a decent enough weapon.

Shorty semiauto AK clone, or a Mossy like you suggested should be okay.

 

[Labinnac]

I have three friendly good natured housepet dogs. They live in their own big fenced in yard. I know how fast they are just playing.

If they were strange aggressive dogs with bad intent I don't think I could get more than two if I were lucky shooting my defense pump shotgun.

Dogs are surprisingly fast.

 

[shadowalker]

Seems like the best thing would be to get video of the 6 dogs and take it to the proper authorities, most places around here limit you to 4 domestic animals and in my town they additionally say no more than 2 dogs AND 2 cats.

In my opinion anything less than #1 buck isn't going to be effective on a 100 pound dog intent on doing you harm. Reduced recoil 2 3/4 #00 buck is proven on people sized animals and should work well on dogs as well and is readily available where I have yet to see #1 buck available locally. There is no reason for the increased recoil of 3 or 3 1/2 especially if she isn't used to the recoil it will cause her time between shots to go up with little to no benefit.

Also loaded with reduced recoil #00 the shotgun becomes a great home defense weapon as well, the tests I've seen show #4 buck has a good chance of failing to stop a human sized threat, #00 is proven, #1 is expected to perform at least as well perhaps a bit better.

People capable of handling bird shot loads should be more than capable of reduced recoil #00.

Bird shot is a waste of time if you are trying to stop anything bigger than a bird or a squirrel. Even at near point blank ranges the shot isn't heavy enough to penetrate enough to stop.

 

[WolfMansDad]

Had a similar situation once. 00 Buck will drop a large dog in its tracks.

She should get some light target loads and practice on sporting clays. I would have recommended a regular stock, as opposed to a "tactical" one, but you're right, any handgun would be woefully inadequate.

 

[115grfmj]

#1 buck......

and cylinder bore will drop ANY DOG!!!! within 30 yards......especially large agressive breeds... don't ask me how I know....but that bull mastif looked like someone took a tommy gun to it after I was through (only one shot).
Around here it's popular to dump dogs in state parks....hunters run into alot of em.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

May I?

Suggest a single layer concertina fence? Or the three rolls of nasty (two rolls of concertina on bottom with a third roll on top) if the dogs are jumpers? Guns are an option, but imagine what shooting the neighbors dog will do to neighbor-neighbor relations. The pitbull owner in this case sounds like a shady character, wouldn't want anything but a deterrance-oriented relationship with them. I believe a triple-layer razor wire fence will run like $200 for 50 feet.

 

[roscoe]

Sleeping pills + 15lbs. of hamburger + a long ride out of town in a crate.