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He could have put the dog in a cage or room till the authorities came and took him. Doesn't matter house dog or not there is a quarantine just in case. That is the proper way to handle it not shot it and dump it that was cruel and not necessary. Yes the dog would most like be put down but do it the correct way by reporting the incident. He doesn't live in the bush country of Africa there a law that cover the proper handling of all animals in the states. My guess there is more to this than we know a dog doesn't bite its owner several times without cause something triggered the attack and it would have been better to find out then just shoot it.

Once the dog bit the owner he bit the owner again. He was a house dog for something like 5 months, so rabies isn't likely. You recommend that he should have let the dog go and risk being bitten yet again?

It sounds to me like battered spouse syndrome, only substitute a dog. And he did what batterers do if the spouse doesn't manage to take them out first.

Seriously, how often was he rapping this dog on the nose? Seems to me that if he'd been growled at and had teeth bared at him a few times -that dog knew there was pain in its future.

I think the dog is better off dead. It doesn't sound like it had much of a life.

Accountable;1351547 wrote: Here's the scenario. It's still in progress & I'll give further updates as it comes. For right now, I want to see your reactions/opinions having only the limited information this guy had at hand.

Last June, a family man with several pets, all rescued from shelters, comes across an obviously abandoned puppy (dirty, distended belly, etc). He takes the puppy home as a new member of the family.

Over the next weeks and months, the pup proves to be smart & energetic, curious to a fault, and enjoys harassing the family cat maybe a little too much. Training is not a problem, though the parents had to keep a constant eye on him. Those of you with energetic boys can probably relate.

As the pup grew, it was obvious that he had that 'alpha dog' personality. On two occasions he actually protested being punished by bearing his teeth and once by growling at the man, who did the Dog Whisperer thing & rolled the pup on his back & held him to show who's the boss.

The last straw: Friday evening the pup, now about 7 months old and 85 pounds, once again got into the cat's food. Dad once again yelled at him, who once again backed off and headed for the back door to be put outside ... once again. But when Dad came close to open the door, the pup attacked him, biting deep into his forearm. In the struggle, the owner was bitten twice more before getting a grip good enough to hold the pup down.

The owner called for his wife to bring the choker collar and the gun. They put the collar on the pup, wrestled him out the door, and put a bullet in the back of his head.

Opinions? Was the owner justified in killing the pup? Would you have done differently?


Well, I would have done differently, had I been in that situation, but given the information here, I would say that the fellow did what he thought best, and was justified. This dog would need a lot of attention and at this point, is not to be trusted. Safety of the family trumps all.



Sounds like he mishandled the previous couple of times the dog challenged him, and allowed the dog too much latitude.

It is a shame, because properly trained, that dog could have been a great member of the family.

So what you're saying is that he saved the dog's life, the dog became too difficult for him to train. The dog ended up dead, which is what was going to happen to it anyway, the man ended up with new scars and a two thousand dollar fine for trying to save it because he chose his own safety instead of the dog's. The main criticism is that he shouldn't have saved the dog in the first place because he's an ignorant scum who doesn't understand what a dog is worth.

Have I got that right?

Because I'm highly discouraged from ever trying to save an animal's life if this is the case.

Where were all the dog experts when the puppy needed rescuing?

Does rescuing a puppy mean you are obliged to spend endless money on training and vet bills or become a criminal?

If all the pet owner critics thought about how many pets are rescued from certain death by the average joe who doesn't know jack about pets, would they rather the pet just died early or can they see how maybe the pet got a few more months or years because the "idiot" bothered to care in the first place?

Ahso!;1351654 wrote: I don't see how shooting the dog in the head is any less humane than euthanizing. It takes at least 30 seconds when putting an animal down while a gunshot to the head I'd think would be instantaneous.Why would it be any more effective on dogs than on Congresswomen?

koan;1351706 wrote: So what you're saying is that he saved the dog's life, the dog became too difficult for him to train. The dog ended up dead, which is what was going to happen to it anyway, the man ended up with new scars and a two thousand dollar fine for trying to save it because he chose his own safety instead of the dog's. The main criticism is that he shouldn't have saved the dog in the first place because he's an ignorant scum who doesn't understand what a dog is worth.

Have I got that right?

Because I'm highly discouraged from ever trying to save an animal's life if this is the case.


koan;1351713 wrote: Where were all the dog experts when the puppy needed rescuing?

Does rescuing a puppy mean you are obliged to spend endless money on training and vet bills or become a criminal?

If all the pet owner critics thought about how many pets are rescued from certain death by the average joe who doesn't know jack about pets, would they rather the pet just died early or can they see how maybe the pet got a few more months or years because the "idiot" bothered to care in the first place?
Excellent points. Empathy is your strong suit.

I don't rescue puppies, but it's more from fear of my beloved's reaction to me bringing a malnourished dirtball carrying unknown diseases into her spotless house. I tried it once, forgetting that she had no clue of how to housetrain a puppy.

If I had rescued that pup, I might have raised it differently. Any one of us might have raised it differently. But if my dog in my house turned on me, attacked and bit me - in anger, fear, hunger, or whatever - I would kill it before letting it go, lest it attack me again or, worse, someone else. The only reason I wouldn't shoot it is because I don't own a gun, but I'd definitely be wishing for one if I found myself in that situation.

Empathy? No. Moral indignation? Perhaps.

People getting pets need to realize this is a lifelong commitment and it should be taken as seriously as having a child. They need proper nutrition, training and love. If they don't, then this kind of occurrence isn't really all that shocking... it's still an animal trying to protect itself. Granted, the puppy's life might have been extended a few months... or not, someone else might have taken him in and and given him a good home.

Ahso!;1351665 wrote: Have you ever taken notice how some of those dogs cower when Cesar walks into that kennel of his?


When I come in the house the dog waits till I pay it attention. I don't think it's cowering in fear you see but rather classic dog behaviour when greeting a more domninant pack member.

Remember you can't just kill your pets that is the law he was fined for doing so. I'm sure it happen more than we know to animals that don't bite and cause their owners to seek medical attention. When he went to receive medical attention it had to be reported. There was a better way to deal with this and he is lucky he didn't get jail time. Ask Michael Vick about cruelty to animals and what happens.

Accountable;1351727 wrote: Excellent points. Empathy is your strong suit.

I don't rescue puppies, but it's more from fear of my beloved's reaction to me bringing a malnourished dirtball carrying unknown diseases into her spotless house. I tried it once, forgetting that she had no clue of how to housetrain a puppy.

If I had rescued that pup, I might have raised it differently. Any one of us might have raised it differently. But if my dog in my house turned on me, attacked and bit me - in anger, fear, hunger, or whatever - I would kill it before letting it go, lest it attack me again or, worse, someone else. The only reason I wouldn't shoot it is because I don't own a gun, but I'd definitely be wishing for one if I found myself in that situation.


Agreed, let me know I'll loan you a gun if needed.