I finally snapped. What would you do?

[briano]

Let me start out saying that I have been more than patient with my butthole neighbor and his German Shepard. His dog comes into our yard on a quite regular basis, I don't want him here because he is aggressive and we have a 1 year old daughter.

Well I finally had enough a few weeks ago. I have asked the druggy neighbor nicely, I have asked him not so nicely, I have warned him no so nicely, to keep his dog either on a leash or out of my yard. I have told him at least 50 times that I don't want his dog around because of our daughter. I have reported it to the police who refuse to help, so I took matters into my own hands.

A few weeks ago I was just about to take my daughter outside to play when here comes the dog, I'm tired of talking to the owner and the cops, so I get the bb gun out and give it 2 pumps and give the dog a stinger in the rump. I know I know, I shouldn't have done it but I'm sick of this crap. The dog was far enough away that there is no possible way the bb broke the skin. The dog let out a little yelp and went home. The druggy neighbor was outside and starts screaming and calls the cops, what do you know now they come.

The state trooper pulls up in the neighbors yard and the dog goes after him, barking and snarling, the trooper had to get back in his car till the dog was put in the house. After getting his info he comes over to my house and proceeds to lay into me about how I am so wrong with what I've done. He says I need to take pictures and press trespassing charges. I said there is no way in hell that I'm going to stand there and take pics of a dog biting me, my fiancé, our daughter or our dog. I told him that they need to do something about this dog coming over here all the time, he says there isn't much they can do without catching him in my yard.

Now the question? What would you do? I didn't shoot the dog to hurt it, it's just a weak bb gun shot, a shock collar is worse than that. In Michigan I have the right to protect my family and animals from danger, and I do have a CPL and always carry. I really don't want it to come down to shooting the dog, but if I have to I will. The cops really don't want to do anything but have me take pics, sorry but this dog is too aggressive for me to be taking pics. The neighbor will not tie him up, the cops suggested that he gets an invisible fence but that will not happen, the dead beet has no job. So what are the options here?

[WisconsinJohn]

That's a damned if you do damned if you don't. Now that he has called the cops on you seems like your on the wrong end now. I suggest you keep a real gun loaded in case ol druggy gets crazy. Put up some temporary snow or orange fence and have another chat with him about it. Good luck!

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I'm kind of right there with ya in not wanting to really shoot the dog persay, but if it came to protecting your little one, your wife or yourself on YOUR OWN PROPERTY I wouldn't think twice.

Is the dog licensed?

Does your town/village have a leash law??

You CERTAINLY do not have to be a prisoner in your own house in fear of venturing out into your own yard.

I would try to get pics of the dog on your property any way you can, even from inside your house if you must. Try to get lankmarks in the pic so it cannot be disputed that the animal was in fact on your property or not.

Do you have any other non-scumbag neighbors in the area experiencing the same issue or who could bear witness to your side of the story??

You have to play the BS game to some level, but be prepared to protect yourself and your family if you must. Keep that pistol on you at all times untill the problem is solved one way or another.

Not sure if it would be better to warn the owner of the dog that you will use lethal force if necessary to protect your family or if that could be construed as pre-meditated if you did happen to follow through on the action....

And I am absolutely no an anti-police type person, but that trooper has some nerve giving you crap for discharging a BB gun on your own property wether it was at the dog or not. Miscarriage of enforcement if you ask me.

I feel for you bud. I'm not an animal hater by any means, but I have NO USE WHATSOEVER for a viscious dog, especially if it is on YOUR property and giving you problems. I was bitten twice by my aunts german shepard when I was 4 and 6 years old. I'm sorry, but any dog that sees a small child as any type of threat and attacks should be put down...Some may disagree with me on that, but that's how it is IMHO. NEVER put an animals life over that of a human child.

[Flyingw]

Dont wait till the dog attacks your Daughter before something gets done. Any animal control out there? I'm with John, keep a loaded weapon within hands reach. Document everything, when the dog comes in to your yard. date, time etc. This will show a pattern in the event somebody would want to know.

[Scootertrash]

Does the dog get close enough to use pepper spray?

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Does the dog get close enough to use pepper spray?

Or bear spray! ... pepper spray on steroids.

Good idea Scooter... just as effective as using a firearm without killing the dog...

[Tri-Z 250]

M80 very useful and fun to discharge even when the dogs not around. Not to hurt the dog...just a way to make it gun shy and affaird of your yard. Then again you may have more laws against fireworks than personal property rights in your area. Good luck with the camera work as it the owners lack of teaching his dog like most responsible dog lovers do.

[rjs89ia]

Aslong as the dog is dead when you shoot it they can't really do anything about it, atleast its that way here in Arizona. It's not like they can prove whether or not it was attacking you but I'd suggest being in a standoff with it to justify killing it. I wouldn't be worried about the law man either you might get some dirty looks from them and a slap on the hand but its not like you killed a person. I'd be more worried about the crackhead neighbor not about him sueing but more like trying to do you harm for killing his dog.

[briano]

There is no animal control here, we are kind of in a rural area, not out in the sticks but not in town either. I have told the neighbor that there will be lethal force involved if his dog so much as growls at my daughter. I'm just sick of telling him to keep the dog out of my yard, if he don't want to teach his dog then I will. Maybe I should get one of those cattle shocking sticks, a few zaps with that should do wonders. And yes I am armed at all times, I have been carrying everyday for about the last 6 months, even to work. You never know where there are going to be crazies these days. Like I said I don't want to but if need be there will be shots fired, I will not let my family or my dog be hurt.

[El Camexican]

Are you allowed to store Rat Treat in raw hamburger on your propery? Keep your kid and dog in for a day and let it feast well. It's not a pretty death, but if the owner and cops won't do what's right so be it.

[DasUberKraut]

How about one of those electronic devices that emits a sound dogs can hear that they hate and stay away from?

[El Camexican]

How about one of those electronic devices that emits a sound dogs can hear that they hate and stay away from?

Don't work well. I have two and my pealess whistle works better. Besides, he has a dog.

[DasUberKraut]

Oh crap. I forgot about his dog.
I'll go back to the drawing board and keep plunging away.

[jb2wheels]

How about one of those electronic devices that emits a sound dogs can hear that they hate and stay away from?

Worthless. Save your money for BBs

[ebaccm26]

I don't remember if it was here or on another forum but someone had a very similar problem. They also used a low powered bb gun to deter the dog and if I recall after several times shooting the dog when it came in his yard the dog got the point and started staying away.