Putting an animal out of its misery

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  • bingley

    Master
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    Jan 11, 2011
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    Not sure that this is the right forum, but it seems here's where the legally minded people on INGO gather...

    If you hit an animal on the road, or if you see a terminally injured animal, what can you do to put it out of its misery? What are the legal implications if you do?

    I suppose we can't shoot an animal if we're in a town/city. Would we go to jail if we slit the throat of a deer we hit? Are there hunting laws or animal abuse laws we need to be aware of?

    For me a big question is whether the animal will survive the accident. Last year some guy ran over a cat, shot it a few times, and the cat survived. It then seems to me he made the wrong decision. Maybe he wanted to put the cat out of its suffering, but he ends up looking like an animal abuser, which he might have been. On the other hand, I've seen animals slowly expire in front of me, and I wish I could have done something to speed its passing.
     

    spencer rifle

    Grandmaster
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    Apr 15, 2011
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    Scrounging brass
    When we encountered sick/injured animals, especially native wildlife, we would often call the conservation officer. He would give advice, but not any other kind of help. Didn't want to do the paperwork required if he used his sidearm. Advice consisted of a) call the sheriff or b) hit it with a shovel. Really hard.
     

    fullmetaljesus

    Probably smoking a cigar.
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    Jan 12, 2012
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    How do you hit a cat, and then shoot it a couple times and it doesn't die? Was he shooting it with spit wads? Christ, even a .22 could end a cat ;)
     

    Mike H

    Expert
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    Jan 3, 2009
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    Vincennes
    I can't help on legal advice, but here is what I would do.
    I'm not touching a domestic or wild animal that has been injured by a vehicle. Those thinks can bite or claw and I'm not taking any chances here.
    That said, I would not discharde a firearm in any corporate city limits are there are probably laws against it. Out in the country if it is safe I would probable dispatch the animal. Terminal is terminal. I would end the suffering if I could.
    If the animal is a deer I would shoot as opposed to slitting the throat. Safer IMO.
    Then I would contact the popo and see about getting a permit to take the deer home for meat if it wasn't tore up to bad.
    How does one shoot a cat a couple of times and the cat survives? That guy needs more training. lol
    I will be interested to hear the legal implications as well.
     
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    Caleb

    Making whiskey, one batch at a time!
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    5   0   0
    Aug 11, 2008
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    Columbus, IN
    pull back around and run it over again. I've heard of people going to prison for shooting their dog...
     

    jgarst

    Plinker
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    Mar 10, 2012
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    Tipton
    this is kind of true^^. I hit a beagle once and had no other option but to run it over again. i know it sounds terrible, but I had no firearm or weapon. The dog had no tags and its back was crushed, i had no other option as i wasnt gonna let it lay in the road for god knows how long suffering. I would say it's going to all depend on your location as to what you can do about the animal. I would say I wouldn't risk injury or prosecution for an animal so if you dont know the laws id say if your gonna end it for the animal use caution and do it without a firearm. BTW that's one tough Kitty.
     

    youngda9

    Master
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    If I did enough damage to a deer to stop it long enough to get shots off...I would be tempted to unload my whole arsenal into it in retaliation to the damage it did to my car.

    I would then take it home and saver every bite of the non-bloodshot meat.

    Never heard of a permit required to take the animal. But it makes sense that carving up a deer in the "off season" might be frowned upon by the police if you can't prove how it was obtained.
     

    minuteman32

    Expert
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    Mar 23, 2008
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    Central IN
    I hit a deer a couple of years ago. It died within a couple of minutes, so I didn't have to shoot it, but I asked the Trooper who came to fill out the report if one should shoot it or not. He said, "Man, I wish there were more people like you!". He went on to say that if he has to shoot it, it's a mountain of paperwork to do. If it's dead when he gets there, it's a couple pages. Obviously, one would not want to do this in downtown Indy, but in the country, it seems that shooting the critter yourself is the preferred thing to do ... according to one IN State Trooper @ least.
     

    dom1104

    Shooter
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    Mar 23, 2010
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    Seriously. You city boys kill me.

    You need to post on the internet, about how to deal with animals you hit with your car.

    Around here, we just do what needs doin.
     

    fullmetaljesus

    Probably smoking a cigar.
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    6   0   0
    Jan 12, 2012
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    Indy
    Seriously. You city boys kill me.

    You need to post on the internet, about how to deal with animals you hit with your car.

    Around here, we just do what needs doin.

    Oh snap the guy from new pal is trying to tell us what it like out in the country... :rolleyes:
     
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