Legal?

[topash]

I live in the country in St. Joseph County and had trouble with the neighbor's german sheppards attacking members of my family walking or riding bikes on our road. Our houses are 1/2 mile apart and their dogs wandered wherever they wanted to. I had three of them attack me and knock me off a bike once. The bite tore my pants but just scratched my hip. I went home and called the county police. They said I could have shot the dogs but would have to account for every shot fired. The officer suggesting buying bear mace to use on the dogs. Bear mace is legal in IN, not legal in several other states. Bought some at Indiana Arms in South Bend. The county police filed a complaint with animal control and the neighbor had to put up a heavy chain link fence to contain the dogs. The neighbor still gives me the finger anytime he sees us. Since the fence went up I haven't got to use the bear mace.


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[edsinger]

All this talk of a dog knocking someone down hits home but not in the way you think. I have a rather large (VERY SPAZY HYPER) Lab. If and when he gets loose (rare) he just goes nuts and wants to play with everyone. He will not come to us as he knows he is free etc and wants to make the most of it. We do take him to the country where he can run at times, but alas it is not enough. Most of the neighbors know he is harmless but when we first moved in he went to play with a man on a bike and knocked him down just as my son came running up to grab him. The gentleman was a class act, he was annoyed for sure but I think he must have had a lab at one time.

Either way, dogs get out once in a while and just shooting one would make no sense UNLESS they show a tendency of violence. But what is violence? You have a 100+lb lab running full bore at you and one can freak.

I wish dogs could talk, because if they could in my dogs case anyone would know his intentions.

"Oh boy, I am going to go lick them, they will **Is that a cat** pet me and I will like it. I had better ** Is that a cat ** hurry because my owner in going **Is that a cat** to kick my arse when he catches me."


BTW - we have two cats and they sleep laying on the dog.

 

[big knot]

yes

I shot and killed my neighbors black lab after it cornerd my stepson on our porch.IT would chase him to the house everyday after school when he got off the bus well I met him half way oneday with my shotty with dbl oo buck. he quit bothering my stepson

 

[sgt.porter]

I have a 6 year old son that plays outdoors a lot and im concerned he will get attacked.

My son cant play outside unless im armed and outside with him.

Am i missing something here? You live in the country and your mad because a neighbors dog that may get aggressive prevents you from letting your 6 year old play outside by himself? okayyyy!

I would attempt to chase the dog off and if it made any move twords me or my son it would die, end of story.

 

[edsinger]

I shot and killed my neighbors black lab after it cornerd my stepson on our porch.IT would chase him to the house everyday after school when he got off the bus well I met him half way oneday with my shotty with dbl oo buck. he quit bothering my stepson

Was it chasing to play or bite?

Even a lab can be mean, its all on the owner I think.

 

[big knot]

HE was so scared of this dog he hated to go to school I talked to the lake cty pd and they said if it chases him to the front door and I fear for his welfare then kill it

 

[MarkM]

This thread hits a touchy subject. I was 8 years old at my grandmas house playing with her poodle in her fenced backyard. A vicious evil deranged dachsund ran from 3 houses down took a large chuck out of my calf, down to the bone. I had to get plastic surgery and skin graphs. Now I live with a nargly scar. But I'm so glad no one shot the dog, cause I got 50 large

 

[SMiller]

^^^^ Are you serious?

 

[MarkM]

Yes very serious, I guess I deserved it though the ball went over the fence but I still didn't leave her property. But that dog just thought I hate that fat kid I'm gonna eat him, and by god he tried. It wasn't the first time he bit though he bit a small girl on the face before he attacked me I guess. That's what my grandma told me

 

[redsuperduty]

You could happen to have a hamburger smothered in rat poison laying around in your yard.
If the dog comes on your property and eats it then he shouldn't have been there in the first place.

 

[edsinger]

he bit a small girl on the face before he attacked me .

In this case the dog had a violent history, bullet deserved in this case. Once they bite someone unless in defense of their family or home, then it gets gray very quickly.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I have known of cops around here that will tell people to shoot a dog that has attacked someone.... Should you go out and shoot this dog? No, I would take pictures (make sure the pictures have a time and date stamp) and then call animal control and ask what you need to do to get them out there.

I have a few area dogs that come threw every now and then and they are harmless and if my 6 month old son was out there with them I would not think twice.... I don't consider them a problem because they just get out of the yard every now and then... you though need to prove that it is a problem, with the pictures you should be able to get the local LEO's or animal control to at least pay those people a visit and give them a stern talking to.

I talked to a guy that had a Pit come into his yard with his kid, and started parking, he went in and got his 357 mag loaded with Black Talons and came back out, the dog got more agressive and started to lunge and him a few times, the guy said "do it one more time, I dare you". The dog lunged again and boom. Owner of the dog called the cops and wanted him arested...... cops said he was legal to shoot the dog based on what had happend then started to duel over the exit hole haha.


My parent's have a German Sheppard a few houses down that is allways outside and never stops barking.... Aminal Control said they could do nothing but it seems the dog is inside a lot more now or they got rid of him........ I told my parent's that if they lived in the country that dog would not have lasted long.......

 

[EvilleDoug]

Dude, this sucks for you. A dog owner who doesn't care and the safety of your kid. I wished I had some sort of suggestion that would lead you to the right thing to do, but I don't. I do know that if you have already "suggested" to your neighbor that you will shoot the dog the next time it's on your property, you will be in the Sh*t if you do. That's just like threatening someone. Just make sure that what ever you do, you have as many witnesses as possible. I know, the dog runs up and starts chewing your leg off and you are trying to call out to someone to watch...it doesn't sound right but one witness is better than none especially after you "suggested" to your neighbor that you'll shoot the dog. Also, do you have police reports or animal control reports from the past calls, they should support your concern in the event you do shoot it.

Good luck, and welcome to parenthood...the things we do to protect our offspring.

Doug

 

[finity]

I do know that if you have already "suggested" to your neighbor that you will shoot the dog the next time it's on your property, you will be in the Sh*t if you do. That's just like threatening someone.

No, that's not the same as threatening "someone". What he's saying is "keep your dog off my property or I'll be forced to take appropriate defensive actions".

If he HAS TO shoot the dog to keep himself or his family safe & there are no witnesses, it's his word against a (dead?) dog's. I think I know who'll win if the dog was on his property.

It seems from most of the posts here that the police are fairly understanding of taking action against a dog that the owner doesn't maintain proper control of.

 

[JDonhardt]

Do you own a good shovel?

 

[hps]

Nice piece of meat and a large piece of VERY coarse steel wool.

 

[rambone]

Place a gun in the dog's hand after you kill him, so there will be no doubt about its intentions.

I seen it on the tv.

 

[junglerogue]

That's HILLARIOUS...seriously though, animal control for preventative measure, then OC while on your property with son. So if the need arises you can "handle business". And if you miss...civil suit here we come.

 

[femurphy77]

I prefer dogs to people but have been in your position before. It is alleged that I shot a Rotty in my backyard inside city limits. No body, no witnesses, only allegations. The dog was never seen again, nobody was ever attacked or chased by this dog again and the offending owners were hauled off by a bunch of guys wearing black jackets with large letters on their backs. DEA. Seems like there were bigger issues than a vicious dog! Even though I'm a huge fan of dogs, sometimes unfortunately you run into a bad one.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

A nice cold bowl of anti-freeze will quench that dogs thirst.