I almost had to shoot my neighbors dog yesterday

[LocustsOfSteel]

Sorry I wasn't specific. I saw where you mentioned they called the police. Did the responding officer advise you on a course of action of contacting animal control or anything of that nature or did he just state you are within your rights to protect yourself from the dog?

No... He pretty much just wrote down my contact info and asked for my story.
I told him about it.
He then told me if i had discharged my firearm i may have received a citation for discharging a firearm within beverly shores.
My response to that was something along the lines of "if i had fired, it would have been in self defense, i would have done so only if i had seen blood, or was being personally mauled... and under those circumstances i don't believe theres any way a charge like that would stick".
He agreed, and told me that he had to shoot a couple of dogs before and he knew how that feels.
I asked him if he had met the dog up the street yet.
To that he replied "not yet".
And i told him which dog it was, to be careful around it, and asked him to notify the owners to keep there damn dogs restrained for the safety of everyone around them.
I think he said "will do"... and that was about it.

Nothing about any kind of follow ups, contacting animal control... nothing.
I don't even know what happened with them yet... probably nothing.

 

[beevans]

Well said. I would have had a hard time not pulling the trigger if a dog had mine by the throat. Do a quick spell check, too. You don't want them to disregard your respectful tone and plea for being reasonable because of small grammar/spelling errors.

 

[LocustsOfSteel]

Well said. I would have had a hard time not pulling the trigger if a dog had mine by the throat. Do a quick spell check, too. You don't want them to disregard your respectful tone and plea for being reasonable because of small grammar/spelling errors.

Thanks, it was because i knew if there was no admissible evidence of attack to use in court, than i could be thrown into one hell of a $#!+ storm.
I'm currently smoothing out the grammar, punctuation, flaws in my wording, and errors made by the auto spell check in my word processor.
Most of the original was written last night while i was tired and still feeling the adrenaline.

Problem is that I'm trying to set up a craigslist truck purchase at the same time as this... so it feels like my head is being twisted around backwards.

 

[Hoosierdood]

Thanks, it was because i knew if there was no admissible evidence of attack to use in court, than i could be thrown into one hell of a $#!+ storm.
I'm currently smoothing out the grammar, punctuation, flaws in my wording, and errors made by the auto spell check in my word processor.
Most of the original was written last night while i was tired and still feeling the adrenaline.

Problem is that I'm trying to set up a craigslist truck purchase at the same time as this... so it feels like my head is being twisted around backwards.

For the record, you don't have to have physical evidence of an attack. All that is required is that you were in fear for your life or in fear of severe bodily harm. If your family was with you, they can serve as witnesses. The fact that your dog was mauled can be evidence. File a police report EVERY TIME the dog acts aggressively toward you, and that paper trail will serve as evidence.


Granted, the IC refers to self defense against another human being, but I believe it would be applicable in a dog attack too.
Note the underlined portions. v v v v

IC 35-41-3-2
Use of force to protect person or property
Sec. 2. (a) A person is justified in using reasonable force against another person to protect the person or a third person from what the person reasonably believes to be the imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person:
(1) is justified in using deadly force; and
(2) does not have a duty to retreat;
if the person reasonably believes that that force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury to the person or a third person or the commission of a forcible felony. No person in this state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever for protecting the person or a third person by reasonable means necessary.

 

[mr buckman]

My personal opinion is ditch the note. Go talk to your neighbor face to face. If that doesn't work, seek some of the other options guys are giving such as a call to animal control.

Put in your neighbors shoes, I would hate to get a note and would probably respond worse. If you have a problem with me, don't hide behind a note or an email. Let's talk the issue out. That's my opinion at least. Good luck!

 

[Hoosierdood]

My personal opinion is ditch the note. Go talk to your neighbor face to face. If that doesn't work, seek some of the other options guys are giving such as a call to animal control.

Put in your neighbors shoes, I would hate to get a note and would probably respond worse. If you have a problem with me, don't hide behind a note or an email. Let's talk the issue out. That's my opinion at least. Good luck!

I would typically agree with this, but in the OP, he stated that when the dog attacked his dogs and he pulled his gun, the neighbors reacted by accusing him and called the cops on him for pulling his gun on the dog. That doesn't sound like a reasonable person to me. Furthermore, the son is repeatedly driving by the OP's house. I'm not sure that face to face conversation is going to do anything.

I still say you should give your letter to a lawyer and pay him to send it certified mail on his letterhead.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I would typically agree with this, but in the OP, he stated that when the dog attacked his dogs and he pulled his gun, the neighbors reacted by accusing him and called the cops on him for pulling his gun on the dog. That doesn't sound like a reasonable person to me. Furthermore, the son is repeatedly driving by the OP's house. I'm not sure that face to face conversation is going to do anything.

I still say you should give your letter to a lawyer and pay him to send it certified mail on his letterhead.

Letter from the lawyer for sure.Probably be money well spent.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

F2F is best even if it doesn't work out... usually cooler heads prevail.
We had a neighbor across the street (this is a rural area). They owned 2 dogs. A pitbull and a rottweiler. One named JUDGE, the other JURY.
Despite this, I've had friends who've owned pitbulls, chows, etc and all were well behaved dogs because they were well trained and socialized.
This particular rottweiler however spent its days chained to the tree out front.

On several occasions, the dog would break loose from it's chain, and for the most part, didn't bother us much. However, if my kids were out in the front yard, the dog would take notice and decide he'd want to 'play'. My son being 4 at the time, weighed about 1/3rd of this dog, and after a few episodes involving the kids screaming and runing into the house because 'the big dog was chasing and barking at them' led to one of my first contacts with the pet owners.
The short story is, daughter lives with Dad, has 4 kids. She claims he's a good dog, and doesn't bother her own kids or anyone else, and just wants to play. According to her, hes been trained. I explain, that if he'd been trained, he wouldn't be chasing after my kids when they're 200 yards from their front lawn. She explains 'yeah, but I can't keep him on the leash, he always breaks the chain'. I respond 'So you're telling me you can't control your dog?' and remind her that no human life is worth a pet's life. And if the roles were reversed, i would get rid of my dog before I let some other neighbor fear him. She hung up on me pretty hot headed. I was upset, this having been my first real conversation with them was not a good situation.
We called the local shelter, and they followed up with a visit to the neighbor. Over the next couple weeks, the chases continued. What really bothered me was when the kids got off the bus at school (near the street), the dog would follow them. We got the kids to walk (not run) calmly, but it scared the hell out of them.
Another call to the shelter, led to another visit, and this time they asked us to take photos of their dog on our property whenever it occurred.
I did as instructed, which pretty much led to nothing happening other than phone calls or visits to the neighbor.
My wife (A teacher) has a discussion with another teacher who stopped by the house to pick up some lesson plans. This other teacher says 'Hey, I know your neighbors... I tutored their kid once. Their dog bit me.' lol
I wound up calling the neighbor myself again, after it chased my kids and my dog around our yard. By now 2 months had gone by with an incident about every 3-4 days and I was fed up. I threatened that if I caught the dog on my property, it would be shot. I would have zero tolerance form this point forward.

The dad (grandpa) came and picked up the dog. 2 hours later, I heard 2 gunshots from the neighbors house. I felt really bad about it. I don't know what the 2 shots were, but the dog was out in the yard 3 days later... Suddenly 3 weeks went by and no issues with the dog coming in our yard.

I noticed grandpa cutting grass one day while I was mowing my own lawn. I drove my tractor over near his, introduced myself and proceeded to explain that while I may have come off as an ass, i really did appreciate and notice that his dog was no longer chasing my kids and animals on our property. He said they went and got an electric fence, and he didn't think it would work, turns out it did work well.

I'd like to think the communication got us somewhere, because the umpteen calls to animal control didn't seem to do squat.
It was likely partially my fault for not communicating with them further... instead waiting to blow my top after a couple months possibly led to some action on their part

 

[A 7.62 Exodus]

OP, i do believe you are being trolled

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general_firearms_discussion/208979-almost_witnessed_my_neighbor_shoot_my_dog_yesterday.html

 

[LocustsOfSteel]

OP, i do believe you are being trolled/made fun of

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...essed_my_neighbor_shoot_my_dog_yesterday.html

Your right, that punk is trolling.
The internet is such a sick place...

 

[ubertux]

I would also refrain from drawing a gun on a dog. I have knocked one out before and don't really see them as a threat. Although that dog was a doberman, you spoke of a great dane which is considerably larger and if you had children near you it would be imperative that you dispatch the problem immediately. Do what you feel is necessary to preserve life.

 

[Spikedog]

I have an aggressive dog next door to me, and although it is chained, it looks as if it could break free. The dog charges at me and my family when we are in the yard and one of these days may get out or break the chain. We have had some run-ins with the family and they will probably not respond to reasonable requests.

 

[trigger_happy57]

i almost had to shoot the neighbors dog on thanksgiving day. we getting ready to go to my dads for lunch my fiance was getting my daughter ready and walking out the back door behind me when i heard a lot of growling and barking coming from the barn out back i went to check it out and the neighbors dogs a german shepard and blue tick hound were trying to get at the sheep and came around the corner at me german shepard first i told the ol lady to get inside in the middle of everything our "other kid" an Australian cattle dog tried coming to save the day. the shepard kept charging growling at me while trying to keep my dog from getting bit i drew my pistol hollering at the neighbors dog trying to get its brain to click and when it got too close for comfort i fired a warning shot right by him. they both high tailed it. looked over at the neighbors house and he was standing in the driveway trying to call his dogs. never had a problem out of them after that.

 

[Jack Burton]

whether in confrontation with the dog or the neighbors be sure to document everything with a video recorder. It may save a great deal of hassle. If with the neighbor keep it hidden so they will be candid and their real selves.

 

[LocustsOfSteel]

@happy: Your lucky to live in a part of indiana that hasn't been over regulated by a bunch of old ex hippies, elitist part time Chicagoans, and a whole multitude of other breeds of yuppie dip$#!ts.

Neither can i fire a warning shot (that apparently would land me with a citation), nor can i record them (i only have a camcorder, and would rather not invest in fancy spy gadgets).

The letter is fully revised, properly punctuated, typos and spell checker errors removed, and far more toned down (no "pet bear" statements, etc... ).
However due to there thick headed, self righteous, and superiority based attitudes, I'm not even sure weather or not i want to give the letter to them or even talk to them. It would probably be easier if i or another neighbor sees there pets running free outside than we just call animal control on them, and if i'm messed with by there dog again i'll just shoot the d@mn thing right then and there and immediately call the local marshal.

To sum it up, I have entirely enough tasks to juggle right now and my current conclusion is "I am not going to pamper those idiots".

Thats all for now, G2G.

 

[EvilBlackGun]

How about a chimpanzee?

Some shirt-tail relatives of a next-door neighbor snuck in a house-trailer onto the easement between our properties. There were 7 people in the trailer, and they went into the neighbor's house to use the toilet. A pet chimpanzee, adult, male, about 40-pounds also lived in the trailer, and was kept on a chain. Every kid in the trailer had bite-wounds on face and neck and hands. I was raking leaves one afternoon and had the spidey sense keep going off on me. Looked up and the chimp was loping towards me full side-wise gallop. He bit my jeans-cuff, and then I cold-caulked him with an inversion-strike with the rake. I was not carrying, too bad. I wanted to shoot it. But I just stood on the rake-handle across the throat until the action stopped. I carried the body to their trash can and left it. Now I carry EVERYWHERE! Adrenalin really kicked in a moment later.

 

[Clay]

I would also refrain from drawing a gun on a dog. I have knocked one out before and don't really see them as a threat. Although that dog was a doberman, you spoke of a great dane which is considerably larger and if you had children near you it would be imperative that you dispatch the problem immediately. Do what you feel is necessary to preserve life.

I would be more worried about a pissed off Doberman long before I would be worried about a pissed off great dane.

 

[mjones]

squirt gun full of ammonia next time the dog runs at you hose him down with it make sure to hit him in the face with it if that doesn't work shoot the dog

 

[LocustsOfSteel]

squirt gun full of ammonia next time the dog runs at you hose him down with it make sure to hit him in the face with it if that doesn't work shoot the dog

You know, my brother came up with the same idea, and my response was “P!$$!ng on a large and angry dog with a squirt gun just doesn't sound like the wisest idea on earth” .


I had a phone conversation with my mom about an hour ago and she told me a story... Years ago, when I was a child, she took jogs around the neighborhood, one day an aggressive dog came after her and chased her. As a result she decided to buy some pepper spray, a couple of months later the same dog came after her and she used the spray, it worked and the dog never messed with her again... but there was a breeze that blew some of the spray back at her .


That got me thinking... So I just looked up my options as far as non-lethal aerosolized defensive products go, and there was something that caught my attention... This foaming jell stream mace stuff.
It releases a stream rather than a spray so it wont blow back in the wind, the foaming jell still works its way into the eyes even if the target blinks, and best of all I wont have to deal with the small town drama of being the guy who killed his neighbors beloved pet bear, I mean dog.


Mace teaches a painful lesson, but its better than death I guess.

 

[sloughfoot]

Don't send your letter. Let Animal Control send their letter. Your letter will bite you in the butt if their dog ever shows up dead anywhere by anyone. You will automatically be the focus of any investigation into the demise of the animal if they have your letter in hand.