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Re: [RC] Why shoot the dog? - Truman PrevattThe law is pretty clear if a dog is on your property harassing your stock and horses are stock, you have the right to eliminate it. It is probably a lot less clear if the dog not on our property, but I am sure if the dog is putting your horse or yourself at risk and you are not on the dog owner's property then you can take whatever action necessary to eliminate the risk.While most populated areas do have animal control - that is not true for all rural areas. Where I grew up in Western KY didn't have any animal control when I was a kid and they still don't. We had problems with people dumping dogs "in the country." They would pack up and kill the cattle. Every once in awhile we had to eliminate them and yes it involved camping out with the herd and picking them off. That was the only solution. That is what the Sheriff would tell you to do - in fact one time he sent his son over to help us. I've been attack by a pit bull while riding my horse in my neighborhood on a public trail. If I had my knife with me, I would have taken care of him as soon as he started to attack. I was dumped, and she ran home only after the dog had ripped hide on her chest - thank goodness she was too tall for him to get her neck which is what he was going for. There are times where the chase routine doesn't work worth a damn. I did it. I chased the dog a 100 yards - he ran. I turned to go home, he attacked again. I turned and chased him a quarter mile - he ran. I turned to go home again and he attacked again. When I turned to chase again - he kept coming and jumped at her neck. I chased them home and by the time the owner (a drywall hanger that was working in a new house and though it was okay to bring his pit bull and let it run around loose while he worked) got there I had a dead bead on the dog as it was chasing the mare around my pasture. He drug the dog off - then he talked to the Sheriff and then Animal control (I lived in Sarasota at the time). I called 911 as I was getting my shotgun and the Deputy notified Animal Control as he was responding. He did pay for all the vet bills and he did pay a fine. If he had not shown up would I have shot the dog in my pasture harassing my horse - in a heartbeat. If a dog attacks you while you are one your horse the dog is in fact attacking you. He is not only putting your horse at risk for injury - it is putting you at risk for injury. It's a matter to be taken very seriously. Of course there is a difference between a dog protecting its territory and one being dangerously aggressive and they needs to be recognized. And of course you should not take the law into your own hands and just go over and shoot the dog. However, if the owners have been warned and do nothing. If the Sheriff or Animal Control have been notified and do nothing - you have two choices: stop riding or to protect yourself while you do if the dog attacks. Truman oddfarm wrote: Valerie said, "If the dog has actually bitten your horse, and the owner has been warned, etc., I'm afraid you've little choice but to shoot to kill." -- “It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong” Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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