An opinion thread on loose dogs

[SHD]

Shanna66

SHD

Deer Teeth

Throwing rocks usually gets an animal to go away. Other than that, there is no reason your dog should be wandering loose unless they broke out of your property. And they should be well trained enough to not go off and devour rabbits!
Still, if my dog got loose and someone killed her because she's big and looks scary... there aren't even words for how beyond outraged I'd be.

No one is saying that the dogs were killed because they 'looked big and scary'. Many of us on here have large, or even giant breed dogs such as myself. We all understand that some people are bias against the size and even the breed of other dogs. But in this case, in the farmer's opinion the dogs were trying to kill his livestock, so he had every right to shoot at the animals.

Of course, I am sure the farmer did not want to hurt the dogs. But in any case, it was up to him to decide what to do. Although you are right in which a well aimed rock can deter a dog or another animal from advancing closer/attacking. Sometimes, when there is more then one animal, such as in this case, the farmer decided to use deadly force.

I would be devastated if one or all of my dogs got loose and they were killed because of something they did. But, as a responsible pet owner I make sure my fencing is well maintained and that my gates are closed and can not be opened by my dogs. The owner of the dogs in question should have done what was necessary to keep the dogs on his/her property and out of harms way.

Even if its just one animal attacking i dont thing a rock would be enough

Ive had to hit dogs in the face with a poll to get it off a dog and have also had to cut off breathing and sometimes even that doesnt work.

If a dog has a high drive and wants to kill something then its going to ignore all pain to try and do what it wants to do

You are right. A rock can sometimes works, sometimes not. I've had to break up a few dog fights before and have had to use a stick/poll to do it. I know what you mean.

It's sad about what happened, but again. It is all on the owner of the dogs.

[Henrika]

If the dog was on this guy's property he had every right to kill it IMO & it's the dogs' owners who should be cited for disobeying leash laws.