Is it really ok to shoot a stray dog?
By charity123
@charity123 (23)
United States
January 4, 2008 11:40pm CST
I live in a rural area where people let there dogs run. I have to deal with my neighbors chesapeeke retriever. He is very sweet and I would not mind him being here except I have a male shepherd that will fight with him so when the neighbors dog comes around I have to keep him locked up. The neighbors on the other side have a great pyranese that comes by every morning. These people do not have fenced properties. We are out in the country and many farmers and ranchers will not hesitate to shoot a dog if they see it running on their property. I have friends with this mentality. Their neighbors dogs were running on their property and the only reason why they did not shoot them was because I was hysterical about it. I breed German Shepherds. It is my lively hood. There has been a couple of times that they got out and I was worried sick until they returned home. I know they won't go far, but I can not risk some ignorant rancher shooting them. Even if my dogs were to get out and kill someones goat, the value of the goat can not compare to the value of my dog. Normally all it takes is yelling at the dog to get them to leave. There has been a few times I've looked out to see neighbors dogs chasing my baby horse. I fear that they could hurt it but as soon as I yell out they take off. Even if a dog did hurt or kill my horse, I could not shoot it. I would make the owner responsible but still that owner loves that dog as much as I love my horse, so I just don't think it is right, but I am the minority around here. I have to be extra careful with my dogs. One was already shot right through her milk sack while she was at home. I suspect it was a stray bullet from the neighbors that like to shoot guns all the time.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@UnselfishShellfish (1306)
• United States
6 Jan 08
No, it's not okay to shoot a dog. Unless you or your possessions are physically in danger, it's not okay and even then I don't think it's right. Anything else can be used to distract a dog. You can throw a shoe or a rock or even your cell phone at a dog and startle it and it'll run off.
1 person likes this
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I used to live in a rural area, and I raised boer show goats, and believe me the value of those goats are just as much if not more than any breed of dog. First let me say I am a dog lover, at that time I had four dogs, however, they stayed in our yard at all times. Now that being said, we had a big problem with people dumping dogs in that area, and some of these dogs were agressive, if I had had too, yep, I'd have shot them. I had friends that had stray dogs kill their baby goats or lambs, did they wait to see if it was going to happen,no, did they go driving all over trying to find the owner, no. They took care of the problem. If the owner loves their dog, then they will be a responsible owner and keep it at home.
1 person likes this
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
5 Jan 08
yes its often quite ok. We have always lived and worked on our farm and a rifle is a necessity. People who don't have a farm with animals don't realise the damage a stray (or loose) dog can do. I remember coming into the farmhouse for lunch and noticing my wife's somber expression. After I asked her the problem she replied. "The neighbors dog was down here this morning chasing the geese again. I wanted to scare him good so I opened the window and fired the rifle at him. I didn't mean to kill him but hes been lying there under the apple tree for several hours. Would you mind burying him for me?
@roberten (3128)
• United States
5 Jan 08
Sound like you need to move for you own personal safety. I grew up in the country and bare a scar today from a buckshot pellet that hit me on the shoulder in my backyard when I was a kid-hunters in the field across from us being careless. I do not like the idea of killing strays but I suppose the situation would determine this. It is impossible to keep every animal caged at all times, some times they get loose. May the true answer to your question is as varied as the people involved.
@MisChasi (77)
• Philippines
5 Jan 08
People need to keep their dogs contained. They always say, "Oh, he won't bite". Yes, they're right; they won't bite them, but they'll bite everybody else! Shooooot, if that thing is in attack mode, it's over. Bust a cap in that fool.
