You Won't Believe This

[Chicklette]

The dog SHOULD have been on a leash, it was a jack Russell. Every dog outside should be on a leash. Plain and simple. It’s the owners fault and being shot is a horrible way to die when there are more humane ways to being put down. What if the shot didn’t kill the dog right away? Would if it was still alive suffering? I do not believe that dog should have been shot, the person was nipped. Not bit. It’s the owner who is at fault, not the dog so why should the dog be shot in a cruel manor. My cousin is absolutely devastated seeing that, he is truly traumatized. There were kids around, people. Would if he missed and shot a kid. No, not right in my books.

 

[Brigidt36]

Can't stop thinking about this and have to say it makes me sick to my stomach. I feel so bad for your cousin. I'd be sharing that jail cell with GG if I'd witnessed that. Nothing anyone can say will ever convince me that shooting this dog was the right thing to do or that it was a humane thing to do. I had a rescue dog that was highly unpredictable, he ended up biting me, and I mean a lunge/jump and BITE, grabbing my arm and shaking and pulling it so viciously that he tore the sleeve off my winter coat. That heavy winter coat saved my arm. To this day I don't know why he attacked me, but he had been living on the streets for a year before I got him, so he may have been abused. I sure didn't trust him after that and kept him away from my kids. I took him to obedience training and then found a home for him with a wonderful man. To this day he is well behaved, devoted to his owner and has never bitten or attacked anyone. I sure as hell didn't shoot him for attacking me, I looked for other solutions then just giving up and putting him down. I will admit that if it had been one of my kids he attacked he'd have been taken straight to the shelter, but I still wouldn't have shot him.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

You know - after seeing a little boy mauled by a golden retriever who's only issue was that it had "nipped but never broke skin before" and has scars on his face from the incident - unless that dog was somehow provoked - why is everyone ok with a dog biting, broken skin or not? There are so many good dogs who would never dream of biting who are being put down daily in shelters - no need to deal with an aggressive dog.
Maybe its a culture thing. Around here it is completely legal and acceptable to shoot any dog that threatens human or livestock.
Billie Faye - you have a good point. Why wasn't the dog on a leash?

I am a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant. I work with dogs with behavior problems, including aggression for a living. If a person is going to keep a dog that has a history of aggression they need to make sure that they manage the dog 100% so that the dog is kept safe and isn't put in the position of needing to bite and that people are kept safe by not being exposed to a dog that may potentially bite. That said, as far as bites go, a dog that has a history of biting is more likely to bite than a dog that has never bitten, however, a dog that has a level 1 bite (no contact or not injury) is not necessarily going to at some point deliver a higher level bite "just because". It could but it also may not. It is actually good when a dog bites and there is no damage, this means the dog has some bite inhibition. Much less dangerous than a dog who has little or no bite inhibition and bites with damage and injury.

I could ask 100 questions here. Why was an aggressive dog taken on a camping trip? Why was is given access to people? Why was it it not on a leash? Why did strangers have access to the dog? Why did the guy say it was okay to shoot his own dog? And also, what happened before the dog bit? Did he know the person? What was the person doing? Where did the dog bite the person? There are just a million questions.

There are ways to humanely euthanize a dog with aggression problems and shooting it isn't one of them. I have been involved in the decision to euthanize a dog for aggression and it is sometimes the right thing to do, but it is done humanely, by a veterinarian with compassion and care, not with a bullet. Sorry, but this is a hot topic for me as nearly all aggression is dogs is fear based and many dogs are put into situations where they feel that they have no choice to bite, if they are dangerous and/or they cannot be managed by their owners and they need to be euthanized, again, it should be done humanely.

 

[BraveheartDogs]

The dog SHOULD have been on a leash, it was a jack Russell. Every dog outside should be on a leash. Plain and simple. It’s the owners fault and being shot is a horrible way to die when there are more humane ways to being put down. What if the shot didn’t kill the dog right away? Would if it was still alive suffering? I do not believe that dog should have been shot, the person was nipped. Not bit. It’s the owner who is at fault, not the dog so why should the dog be shot in a cruel manor. My cousin is absolutely devastated seeing that, he is truly traumatized. There were kids around, people. Would if he missed and shot a kid. No, not right in my books.

You are completely right. This is disgusting, it makes no sense and it is not right.

 

[1parakeet]

Here are my thoughts about what I've read so far. . .

All animals should be handled with caution, no matter how small or domesticated, or where they are on the "food chain". When I was part of a volunteer program at an animal shelter, we went through a course on handling the animals. ALL of the animals. Even the hissing cockroaches. One rule that was repeated during the handling sessions/lessons was "do not put any of the animals near your face or neck. If it has a mouth, it can bite, and we don't want anyone, animal or human, getting injured." Any animal has the ability to inflict some sort of harm on a person, and this needs to be remembered. Like a few of the replies already mentioned, why is it that dog bites are handled so severly? Why not bites from parrots, cats, turtles? I remember watching a plastic surgery show, and a ferret attempted to eat a baby's face. A FERRET. Now, I don't remember what they said happened to the ferret, but if that had been a dog, it would have been killed asap.

I don't think the situation was handled the best that it could have been. I could understand if the dog was tearing into the guys throat, but aparently that didn't happen. Yes, dogs that show any sign of agression (if that's what this even was) should be closly monitored and evaluated, but not shot on the spot in front of other people--did I read that there were KIDS in the area???? Can you imagine how traumatizing that had to be for any of them that witnessed that???

And what's with the owner just being okay with it? From the information I've recieved, that isn't very right. . . Granted, I haven't read the story, and am taking what's been said on this thread as what happened, but still, an owner just being okay with a stranger shooting their dog without warning (without the shooter warning) is. . . not right.

 

[1parakeet]

Also, jmho, being shot with a bullet is a violent way to die, for a human or animal.

Which reminds me, America (I don't know if this incident happened in america) doesn't even shoot "death-row" inmates--they give them a lethal injection. Why should serial killers, rapists, and so on, be killed so humanely, but animals shouldn't?

Really, I think the only reason to ever shoot an animal is if it is possing an immediate and obvious danger to a person or other animal.

 

[1parakeet]

My cousin Marc went camping with his friend Todd and his friend brought his dog with him. Well the dog bit someone (not hard, no blood drawn) and Marc was coming around the corner and saw some guy shoot him. He is an extreme animal lover like me. Well his friend Todd said it was okay to shoot his dog. Marc was devastated. I just can’t believe some guy shot the dog, well Marc and Todd are no longer friends. Marc packed everything up and left. Can you imagine a dog being shot in front of you? I know the dog bit someone but you just don’t go and shoot a dog.

I've a question: Did the person the dog bit request that he be allowed shoot the dog, or did the owner hear that his dog bit him and say, "well, you can shoot him if you want."? Or, did the person bit shoot without the owner's consent/knowledge and the owner was just okay with it?

 

[NikkiLS]

The dog SHOULD have been on a leash, it was a jack Russell. Every dog outside should be on a leash. Plain and simple. It’s the owners fault and being shot is a horrible way to die when there are more humane ways to being put down. What if the shot didn’t kill the dog right away? Would if it was still alive suffering? I do not believe that dog should have been shot, the person was nipped. Not bit. It’s the owner who is at fault, not the dog so why should the dog be shot in a cruel manor. My cousin is absolutely devastated seeing that, he is truly traumatized. There were kids around, people. Would if he missed and shot a kid. No, not right in my books.

Ok hearing this I think it should without a doubt be investigated. I am pretty sure it isn't legal anywhere to open fire in public!

 

[BraveheartDogs]

Ok hearing this I think it should without a doubt be investigated. I am pretty sure it isn't legal anywhere to open fire in public!

I agree.

 

[atvchick95]

That is SCREWED Up royally

almost sounds like the dogs owner, did not get the dog his rabies shots Nor did he want to be sued for his dog biting any one - a dog does not have to draw blood to be sued, Just leave a mark and the owner can be sued big time

 

[atvchick95]

Ok hearing this I think it should without a doubt be investigated. I am pretty sure it isn't legal anywhere to open fire in public!

Depends on if they were camping on Private Property or Public property

or at least it used to make a difference

Private property does not have the same "laws" as Public Property

 

[Billie Faye]

Depends on if they were camping on Private Property or Public property

or at least it used to make a difference

Private property does not have the same "laws" as Public Property

That depends on what state you live in...if you live in a populated area, with neighbor next to you, you can't fire a gun/hunt within so may feet of houses/etc...want to live next to some one who is shooting on their property and the bullets are hitting your house and coming through the walls...???? Kids playing out in the yard and neighbor is firing away at "tin cans" the bullet hits something and re-directs it to your child....just because you are on private property doesn't mean you have the "right" to fire with neighbors/children/people/animals around you...JMHO
I have a LTC and do...

 

[atvchick95]

That depends on what state you live in...if you live in a populated area, with neighbor next to you, you can't fire a gun/hunt within so may feet of houses/etc...want to live next to some one who is shooting on their property and the bullets are hitting your house and coming through the walls...???? Kids playing out in the yard and neighbor is firing away at "tin cans" the bullet hits something and re-directs it to your child....just because you are on private property doesn't mean you have the "right" to fire with neighbors/children/people/animals around you...JMHO
I have a LTC and do...

yes i know that, but most camping areas are no where near peoples homes. they're usually miles away from any house.

I was just stating that in most areas, Private Property laws differ from Public Property laws

and yes there are Public camp sites and Private camp sites.

 

[Chicklette]

Yes, this was at a camping sight and their were kids around crying. The owner was okay Im guessing because he didn’t want to bother dealing with the bite and being charged and stuff like that even though their was not even a bite mark. My cousin was on a rampage and told him to get out of his trailer and go home because Im taking my keys and going home myself. They were best friends and no longer speak.

I've a question: Did the person the dog bit request that he be allowed shoot the dog, or did the owner hear that his dog bit him and say, "well, you can shoot him if you want."? Or, did the person bit shoot without the owner's consent/knowledge and the owner was just okay with it?

Im sure about that part, sorry. I will have to ask that. But I do know the dog owner, Todd was just fine with it.

 

[rocabird]

This is just sad. As I sit here, laying next to my chair is my 3 1/2 year old Springer Spaniel whose original owner wanted her put to sleep on the advice of a "trainer" because she was "aggressive". She was 8 months old at the time and had shown absolutely no signs of being aggressive when we spayed her at the vet hospital I was working at. The vet I worked for wouldn't do it and instead suggested he bring her in and we would find a home for her. That home ended up being me and what I found was a dog who developed a fear aggression due to rough training techniques recommended by the "trainer". She is a very submissive dog whose owners tried to be alpha to the point she felt she had to protect herself and did. In some situations, you can still see the affects of that training(she doesn't bite, but cowers), but she has really come around and is a great dog. She makes me smile when she grabs a toy as we are walking up the steps, playing tug is something she wouldn't even do with me when I first got her.

Her situation has really made me stress to people that there is a big difference between a dog trainer and a behaviorist. Not all dog trainers have the knowledge, skill and experience to work with behavior problems and can end up making it much worse.

It's hard to tell from the information about this incident if this was the first time the dog bit or if it had a history of biting. Either way, the manner in which it was handled bothers me and I can understand how your cousin feels.