[emmaishappy]

Recently a friend of mine's child was mauled by a dog. Does anyone know what the laws are surrounding shooting an animal? :huh: I know you wouldn't want to shoot a dog that was mauling your child (I'm an okay shot, but not THAT good!). But what if you got away and the dog started coming back at you for more? Would I become a convicted felon if I shot the dog? :dunno:

 

[GeneticsDave]

No, if the dog was coming at you, you are perfectly within your rights to shoot it dead on the spot. This case is made stronger if it has just attacked someone. In fact, if the dog's owner gets upset, you make sure you tell the LEO that arrives on scene that you want the owner prosecuted for not having their vicious animal restrained. The dog's owner will be cited, not you.

 

[Paul]

What Dave said is true, however you can fully expect a major hassle and possibly getting yourself in trouble if you do shoot it. You will have 1 upset ex-dog owner.

 

[scott.pete06]

Recently a friend of mine's child was mauled by a dog. Does anyone know what the laws are surrounding shooting an animal? :huh: I know you wouldn't want to shoot a dog that was mauling your child (I'm an okay shot, but not THAT good!). But what if you got away and the dog started coming back at you for more? Would I become a convicted felon if I shot the dog? :dunno:

It's close to the same as shooting a person. You must feel threatened, be in imminent danger, and must be "reasonable." If the dog is dead and you keep shooting it, your gonna have charges filed. or if after the fact you go looking for the dog to shoot it same thing.

 

[Tarzan1888]

Recently a friend of mine's child was mauled by a dog. Does anyone know what the laws are surrounding shooting an animal? :huh: I know you wouldn't want to shoot a dog that was mauling your child (I'm an okay shot, but not THAT good!). But what if you got away and the dog started coming back at you for more? Would I become a convicted felon if I shot the dog? :dunno:

If you, a loved one or an innocent third party is in danger of death or great bodily harm by anyone or thing...AND you are armed....you are fully within your rights to stop that threat.....PERIOD

Will there be a hassle afterwords....probably...BUT that thought should never enter in and as long as the threat is real or perceived you are covered by law.

IANAL

Tarzan

 

[bane]

Yet another good reason to carry OC. This is one of those times when having a less-than-lethal option would be a whole lot better. Last year my wife and I and our little dog were out for a walk when a vicious dog escaped through a broken slat in the fence and came running at us. We weren't packing yet and so my only mode of defense was to get between that dog and my wife & dog and stand as large and broad as I could prepared to kick that dog right in the face -- he saw that and stopped and ultimately retreated. Had I have had a gun I would not have been able to draw it in time (he was on us too quickly), aim, and shoot. Once he paused I could have shot but then might no longer have been justified. If I had had OC I could have sprayed him as a further deterrant to ensure he would back down and been a whole lot more justified in my actions.

Same goes for an aggressive perp coming up and getting in your face -- it's going to be hard to justify outright shooting him -- but OC solves that problem.

 

[Cinhil]

Yet another good reason to carry OC. This is one of those times when having a less-than-lethal option would be a whole lot better. Last year my wife and I and our little dog were out for a walk when a vicious dog escaped through a broken slat in the fence and came running at us. We weren't packing yet and so my only mode of defense was to get between that dog and my wife & dog and stand as large and broad as I could prepared to kick that dog right in the face -- he saw that and stopped and ultimately retreated. Had I have had a gun I would not have been able to draw it in time (he was on us too quickly), aim, and shoot. Once he paused I could have shot but then might no longer have been justified. If I had had OC I could have sprayed him as a further deterrant to ensure he would back down and been a whole lot more justified in my actions.

Same goes for an aggressive perp coming up and getting in your face -- it's going to be hard to justify outright shooting him -- but OC solves that problem.

I would think that as long as the dog, in this instance, Bane, was still "in your face" and being threatening to you and yours, that you would be within your rights to end that threat. A four legged critter can be as deadly as a two legged. If it wanted to it could as easily, as a two legged critter, turn and charge again from cover, or immediately upon retreat. The idea here is to be prepared, observant and willing to do what is necessary to end the threat.
There will be times that standing tall and broad will end the attack, there may be times it won't, or doing so may make the animal more aggressive. I say if it is coming at you treat it just like a two legged threat and if it is in that 17 - 21 foot range--shoot. Why? Because it takes less than one second for that two or four legged critter to be on top of you. :fudd:

 

[bane]

Oh sorry... I wasn't meaning to imply that you wouldn't necessarily be justified -- only that you'd have to worry about defending your actions -- also, as I said, drawing and shooting an aimed shot at the time would have been impossible -- turning and acting aggressive was THE ONLY immediate response available.

IMO, you would be justified shooting. But why shoot and worry about it when OC would be likely to work 100% of the time (animals respond much better to pain than humans who sometimes will try and fight through the pain).

 

[emmaishappy]

Thanks for all the replies, you're grrrrreat!

:flag: :flag: atriot: atriot: :flag:

Happy Fourth!!!

em

 

[TARFU]

I wonder if anybody has looked at this like they have the "21 foot" rule for assailants with edged weapons? How fast can a dog cover 21feet? Might be a question for an instructor, lawyer or LEO.

 

[Cinhil]

I wonder if anybody has looked at this like they have the "21 foot" rule for assailants with edged weapons? How fast can a dog cover 21feet? Might be a question for an instructor, lawyer or LEO.

I think 50' would be appropriate. Why? If a two legged critter (man) can get to you in 1 second at 21' distance, then a four legged critter (dog, cat, bear etc.)
should probably cover at least twice that distance in the same period of time.

 

[xmirage2kx]

I wonder if anybody has looked at this like they have the "21 foot" rule for assailants with edged weapons? How fast can a dog cover 21feet? Might be a question for an instructor, lawyer or LEO.

I think 50' would be appropriate. Why? If a two legged critter (man) can get to you in 1 second at 21' distance, then a four legged critter (dog, cat, bear etc.)
should probably cover at least twice that distance in the same period of time.

Outside of about 25ft it would be a tough sale to get a jury to clear you of any wrong doing. I would suggest draw and go to low ready, but not fire before then if being charged by a dog. I would also yell and maybe kick at the dog (even if well outside of your reach) just so you can say you did what you could (non-lethal) before using your gun. You may know you were not out looking for something to shoot, but the more everyone else can see that the better off you are.

 

[Guest]

As a farmer I have a different perspective; one that requires discretion. If an animal represents a significant threat to your property you are justified in dealing with it.

I try to not shoot dogs, I love dogs and have two of my own, but I have in the past; that is to say they get one free pass. Do you let them kill 1k$ in livestock before you kill them? It has been my experience that if a dog or dogs is coming around it means two things: they will be back despite my best efforts to discourage them and they are here to kill, as is a dog's nature and I have many nice tasty easy to run down targets. You would think that contacting the dog or dogs owner(s) would work but all that seems to do is cause trouble. The dogs owners always fail to do anything about it so I must. When the dog does go missing or comes home riddled with bird shot at whom do you think they get angry?

This was a real problem at the farm on which I was raised as it was near a city and there where many people who's only livestock was a dog. It is really hard to make them understand what losses to my family their dog caused.

Seeing a dog chasing a calf is one of the hardest things with which I must deal as there is no good solution; fortunately it doesn't happen often out here.

 

[marksman]

On an interesting side note I believe you are justified in killing a dog that is attacking hoofed protected wildlife.

http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE18/htm/18_01_000300.htm

 

[James]

One time a neighbors dog was coming over and getting chickens. My wife called animal control and the conversation went something like this:

Officer: Have you got a shot gun?

Wife: Yes

Officer: Just shoot the dog. In fact it doesn't even have to be after chickens, if its on your property shoot it. We look the other way. There is, after all, a leash law. Shoot, shovel and shut up.
.............................................................
Even if you are justified to shoot to save your animal, in a city where there is laws about discharging a firearm in the city limits, are you not breaking that law no matter what the circumstances? I don't see that a carry permit exempts us from that law. Is one justified because the animal was in danger? Do you think the officer will look the other way?

 

[emmaishappy]

Officer: Just shoot the dog. In fact it doesn't even have to be after chickens, if its on your property shoot it. We look the other way. There is, after all, a leash law. Shoot, shovel and shut up.

Nice!!! I wonder if Salt Lake police would be the same way.... :roll: I think NOT!

 

[althor]

On an interesting side note I believe you are justified in killing a dog that is attacking hoofed protected wildlife.

http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE18/htm/18_01_000300.htm

The above should include any neighbor's pet that refuses to carry off its own droppings after visiting my lawn.

 

[bane]

On an interesting side note I believe you are justified in killing a dog that is attacking hoofed protected wildlife.

http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE18/htm/18_01_000300.htm

The above should include any neighbor's pet that refuses to carry off its own droppings after visiting my lawn.

Actually it should include any neighbor's pet found frequently off-leash and unfenced -- and I'm a dog-lover!
(But I hate irresponsible pet ownership about as much as I hate irresponsible child ownership)

 

[JonB]

My next door neighbor actually shot a dog that came inside his house and threatened (but didn't bite) his children. The owners were irate, and wanted the police to do something about it. The police basically said that the only person in trouble was the dog owner, and that they were lucky that my neighbors weren't pressing charges.

 

[pedman]

I did read the law in Sandy that you can shot to protect not only yourself, but also your animals, such as dogs, cats etc. This came very very close wen 11 pit bulls came after my lab, my gun was inside; however my contract that I had hired almost made the news had not the owner got in the middle of the pack and my dog. I would check with your local animal shelter for local laws. This was a surprise to me, had i known before the problem i would have been better prepared, due to the fact that we knew a problem was ready to happen.

Hope this helps...