Defending your dog

[Raidingtime]

I ran across this story this morning on KATU. The story is about a man whom was out walking his dog when 2 unleashed pit bulls confronted him. According to the video, one of the dogs attacked and hurt the owners leashed dog. During the confrontation the man verbally directed the unleashed dog owner to get control of her dog. His attempts failed and he chose to draw a firearm to protect his dog. He successfully neutralized one of the dogs. It is assumed the other dog, alive, ceased attacking his dog at this point.

This is something that I've wondered about when walking my dog and am confronted by unleashed dogs. The confrontations never got to the point where I felt that I needed to defend my dog using deadly force. Normally my dog will bite back thus saving me from having to intervene. However, I don't think it's unimaginable for a similar situation happen to us. Was it a good idea to shoot? Should he have waited?

Story:
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[jrd541280]

He did wait. He told the owner of the other dogs twice to get control of them. That's once longer than I would have.

 

[ThemGunsThough]

My pitbull would have protected me at all costs. Just like any other situation, I try to avoid using my gun at all times. Personally, I feel confident in my own self defense abilities but I know the average person out there walking their dog may not be as capable. If it was me and it came to the boiling point where I felt endangered, I would have turned as green as I could hoping that would scare the other dogs away. If that doesn't work then my pitbull and I would put up a fight as necessary. If all else fails, then shoot......(pun intended)

 

[Stomper]

I would refer back to the ORS like LEO's would have to do. Deadly force is justified in defense against imminent threat of death and/or serious bodily injury.

What should he have waited for? His dog's throat or leg to get crushed/ripped out? The pitbulls to turn directly on him or someone close by?


IMHO, yes. I would have most likely done the same thing, and furthermore I'd file a lawsuit against the pitbulls' owner for assault, mental/physical distress, endangerment, the cost of replacing my bullets, and wear & tear on my firearm.

 

[soberups]

It is the personal responsibility of a pet owner to keep their pet safe, period.
The woman who allowed her dogs to be off of leashes failed to keep her pets safe.
The guy who shot the pitbull who was attacking his dog succeeded in keeping his pet safe.
Personal responsibility.

 

[HuckleberryFun]

To me, a reasonable argument can be made that the CHL holding dog owner made sufficient attempts to stop the attack before resorting to pulling his weapon. The fact that the cops cited the pit bull owner and not him is a clue. That Animal Control classified the other surviving pit bull as a class 2 dangerous animal is another clue. Remember the axiom, though, that every bullet you fire has a lawyer attached to it. The case is already being argued not in the law courts (yet) but in the court of public opinion ("he shot a doggie! bad man!").
He was within the law, but his legal troubles are not over.

 

[Medic!]

Control your dog. Or I will.

And you won't like it.

 

[Sstrand]

Man, life is good for the liberal D. A. . . . He has hit the mother lode!!!!
He gets a chance for two PC indictments from one incident! First is the owner of one of those monstrous dogs that are only bred to kill. And, then a guy who carries a concealed weapon, obviously looking for an excuse to kill something! Preferably a person but a dog will do.

Sheldon

 

[Raidingtime]

Control your dog. Or I will.

And you won't like it.

I believe the man was justified in defending his dog. It's hard to put myself in the mans shoes. I wouldn't like having to take time off work, give up my CC firearm, and pay lawyer fees though. At the same time I consider my dog part of my family and am personally obligated for his safety.

The woman claims that he dog was trying to play with his dog. What kind of play results in that much injury to the face?

 

[Stomper]

I believe the man was justified in defending his dog. It's hard to put myself in the mans shoes. I wouldn't like having to take time off work, give up my CC firearm, and pay lawyer fees though. At the same time I consider my dog part of my family and am personally obligated for his safety.

The woman claims that he dog was trying to play with his dog. What kind of play results in that much injury to the face?

Extreme doggy S&M I suppose...

 

[HuckleberryFun]

Extreme doggy S&M I suppose...

LOL. Of course @Stomper just had to go there.

 

[Medic!]

Come what may.

Wife, Dog, Other peoples Kids. And lastly [After much abuse] My self.

 

[soberups]

1. I keep my dog on a leash.
2. I would not own a dog that would be a threat to other dogs or people if it got off of a leash.
3. Breed is largely irrelevant. A properly trained and socialized dog is not a threat, regardless of whether it is on a leash or not. This includes pit bulls.

 

[Stomper]

LOL. Of course @Stomper just had to go there.

Just keepin' it doggy style, man!

 

[soberups]

My wife and I have a preset routine for dealing with unleashed dogs that we encounter when walking our dog.
I hand her the leash, to which she gives as much slack as possible in order to give our dog freedom of movement. I then move to a position at a 45 degree angle from the stray dog, which gives me a direct shot at its ribcage if I need to kick it. And if the kick fails to do the job, we go to Plan B. Fortunately, I have yet to even need to kick a dog, every one we have met so far has been friendly and more interested in butt-sniffing than causing any problems.

 

[Medic!]

My wife and I have a preset routine for dealing with unleashed dogs that we encounter when walking our dog.
I hand her the leash, to which she gives as much slack as possible in order to give our dog freedom of movement. I then move to a position at a 45 degree angle from the stray dog, which gives me a direct shot at its ribcage if I need to kick it. And if the kick fails to do the job, we go to Plan B. Fortunately, I have yet to even need to kick a dog, every one we have met so far has been friendly and more interested in butt-sniffing than causing any problems.

Don't kick a dog. It will hurt your knees.
Just use pepper spray. It works great.

 

[cigars]

My pitbull would have protected me at all costs. Just like any other situation, I try to avoid using my gun at all times. Personally, I feel confident in my own self defense abilities but I know the average person out there walking their dog may not be as capable. If it was me and it came to the boiling point where I felt endangered, I would have turned as green as I could hoping that would scare the other dogs away. If that doesn't work then my pitbull and I would put up a fight as necessary. If all else fails, then shoot......(pun intended)

Not everyone owns a pitbull though.

 

[ThemGunsThough]

Not everyone owns a pitbull though.

True. That's why I answered for myself.

 

[Medic!]

GSD.

When you look them in the eyes. You can see the gears turning.

 

[mjbskwim]

To me, a reasonable argument can be made that the CHL holding dog owner made sufficient attempts to stop the attack before resorting to pulling his weapon. The fact that the cops cited the pit bull owner and not him is a clue. That Animal Control classified the other surviving pit bull as a class 2 dangerous animal is another clue. Remember the axiom, though, that every bullet you fire has a lawyer attached to it. The case is already being argued not in the law courts (yet) but in the court of public opinion ("he shot a doggie! bad man!").
He was within the law, but his legal troubles are not over.

THIS is why I say use a cattle prod or a knife.
You start pulling guns in a neighborhood ,bouncing bullets around,and very bad things can happen to you and yours.
Personally I would pick the dog up and break it over something or cut its throat before I'd pull a weapon.
Maybe in the case of more than one attacker or if the owner started getting froggy.
But either drive your dog to some place safe (yeah I know too much effort,I'm lazy) or use a different defense .