You need to do a better job keeping your animals on your property. If you aren't up to the challenge then you should consider getting rid of them. You never know when someone like me might move into the neighborhood..
I live in a very rural area. My neighbor has 10 acres... I have 5 acres... My yard (the part that I mow and maintain) is quite small. Why his dog felt it necessary to defecate in my little patch of grass is an unknown. I convinced him to fix the problem by convincing him that I would fix the problem.
No problem
I did. I put up a bigger fence. In spite of the fact that I now have a fence that goes against the local code.
But fact of the matter is. I dont know of anyone whos' dog hasnt gotten out occasionally. Dogs do occasionally get out despite the owners best efforts such as in the case last week someone that was visiting us neglected to close the fence gate after he picked up what he needed and left. We let the dogs out the next morning not knowing the gate was open and my female wandered around. Fortunately everyone knows her to be the sweetheart she is. More likely to go belly up on the ground, or run away if you approach her then anything else.
And thats a thing too. If you know where the dog belongs. Im not buying into the rabies paranoia. And in most cases people know where stray dogs belong in their area. I know where just about every dog in a 2 mile radius of my house belongs. Or the general area it belongs.
I can buy your logic if its an aggressive dog. Some admittedly are. But most dogs. Even pit/ pit mixes arent unless you pose a threat to them first.
I could even buy it but to a lessor extent if its a completely strange dog. Particularly if it looked as if it hadnt been cared for.
But even those are more then likely just lost and want nothing more then the same thing you do. To be off your property and to be home.
So in the end it should be the very unusual and rare case where you should feel the need to shoot a dog. Any dog. just for being on your property. Dogs like other animals dont recognize property lines. Nor do they know not to poop on your lawn. Far as most dogs know. The lawn is where they are supposed to be going instead of the carpet. Often they choose a specific place to defecate because either to mark territory. Or because other dogs go there.
Racoons and Skunks are the greatest threat of carrying rabies. How often do you shoot either?
Probably not nearly the amount that you actually see or are in your area.
So to shoot a dog just cause it went poopy on your grass is asinine and downright unneighborly.
You or someone like you wouldnt want to move near me.. I dont respond well to threats or intimidation. They tend to only tick me off rather then get the results they intend.
I can be the most agreeable person in the world if approached in a civil and reasonable manner.
You come to me and let me know that my dog has been wandering over to your property and and I'll apologize, let you know that she does occasionally get out. And if or when she does just give me a call and i'll come get her. I'll even pick up that poopy on your lawn.
But
Threaten me or threaten to shoot something of mine and there is a better then average chance our encounter will not end peacefully.
Actually shooting something of mine would get you even far far far worse results.
But around here threatening someone with the use of a fire arm is the same as actually pointing one at him.
So that really shouldnt be an issue.
In fairness. Dogs used to be a major concern for rabies. and its on that bases that there is still alot of ignorance going on. Fact of the matter is It is no longer the large threat it used to be. In fact its extremely rare anymore that a dog actually has rabies.
Cats are a far greater threat because people are less likely to bring them to the vet regularly. But Ferrels even moreso
. Thing is. cats in general are often so clean that you cant tell one form the other most of the time.
Course there are also those folks who just have to be that root'n toot'n redneck that just have to be like that because they can. They just use rabies as an excuse to justify their attitude.
