"Feared for your life" are not magic words

[Lilavati]

This man is either lying or the worlds biggest coward:

http://www.oxfordpress.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/11/08/mj110808dogshot.html

Now, this sounds like a nasty little dog . . . but "feared for his life?" a grown man? . . .pluh-leeeeese. It really makes you wonder about all those other "feared for my life" claims.

 

[bubbatd]

Stupid man !!!!

 

[Sweet72947]

Well, maybe this it what its come to now, when people won't control their dogs, and AC won't step in. Maybe this is what's left. Although five times is a bit of overkill...

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

that's terrible. a full grown man, afraid of a little 10 pound dog? I mean he could have punted the little thing and he would have been just fine. Shooting a dog that size with a .357 magnum? lol. that's a little over kill. Poor dog, it probably was just looking for tasty treats.

 

[borzoimom]

.357 magnum? shot 5 times??? sounds thought out plan ahead of time.. Being a mayor, I doubt he would be treated like if anyone else did this..

 

[Lilavati]

Well, maybe this it what its come to now, when people won't control their dogs, and AC won't step in. Maybe this is what's left. Although five times is a bit of overkill...

Frankly, if he'd said "I was sick to death of that nasty little wretch trying to bite me, so I shot it" I might question his judgement, or his right to shoot the dog, but I'd feel a heck of a lot less contempt for him than I do. That would at least be honest. It might, if the dog attacked him all the time, even be justified, espeically if the owner and AC would not do anything.

But this is not honest. This is a complete pile of bull turds. Either he is the world's biggest coward, or he's lying. And if he's lying, its likely because he thinks can get away with it, being the mayor and all. (and he probably can) However, this particular lie is insulting to the intelligence of everyone who hears it. If you have to lie, at least come up with something that people will actually believe, you arrogant jerk. Better yet, just tell the truth. The dog kept trying to bite you, so you shot it. If that was not a legal action to take, then perhaps you should have just taken a different bike route . . .or, being the mayor, ordered AC to do something.

 

[Sweet72947]

that's terrible. a full grown man, afraid of a little 10 pound dog?

Why not? There are full grown people on here who are terrified of little creatures with eight legs that can fit on the tip of their finger. Maybe he had a phobia. Phobia = irrational fear.

I have found that many more people are afraid of little 20lb Benji than they are of Daisy, and Daisy is a 75lb black dog with fear aggression issues!

I'm not defending the man's actions, I agree that shooting a little dog 5 times with a .357 magnum is over the top, but I don't think we should be defending a vicious dog either, no matter the size.

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

Why not? There are full grown people on here who are terrified of little creatures with eight legs that can fit on the tip of their finger. Maybe he had a phobia. Phobia = irrational fear.

I have found that many more people are afraid of little 20lb Benji than they are of Daisy, and Daisy is a 75lb black dog with fear aggression issues!

I'm not defending the man's actions, I agree that shooting a little dog 5 times with a .357 magnum is over the top, but I don't think we should be defending a vicious dog either, no matter the size.

I don't see anything in that article to believe the dog was vicious. There was nothing saying that anyone saw this dog trying to kill this man, or any record of this dog ever having attacked anyone before. The guy probably didn't like his neighbors yippie little dog and decided that he had finally had enough of it and was going to deal with it himself. I might be wrong though, the article doesn't mention anything about AC or and records of the dog.

 

[xpaeanx]

maybe it took him 5 tries to actually hit the dog? although, if he even shot at it once without hitting, I'm sure the dog would have run away and been afraid of him there after...

... and who the heck carries a magnum while taking a sat to bicycle with your wife???

 

[Lilavati]

Why not? There are full grown people on here who are terrified of little creatures with eight legs that can fit on the tip of their finger. Maybe he had a phobia. Phobia = irrational fear.

I have found that many more people are afraid of little 20lb Benji than they are of Daisy, and Daisy is a 75lb black dog with fear aggression issues!

I'm not defending the man's actions, I agree that shooting a little dog 5 times with a .357 magnum is over the top, but I don't think we should be defending a vicious dog either, no matter the size.

I'm not defending the dog. I'm assuming that the dog was in fact a nasty little ankle biter, there are certainly enough around.

As for a phobia, its possible . . . but I think even a real phobic would realize that saying "I was afraid for my life" about a 10 lb dog sounds absurd . . . indeed, they would be more aware of it than many others, for they have likely been teased about it.

What bothers me is this man's attitude, that he thinks he can say "I was afraid for my life" and shoot someone's dog five times with a .357, when it is patently obvious that his life was not in any plausible danger. Its the use of "afraid for my life" as magic words allowing you to shoot a pet. If he can get away with saying that about a 10-lb dog, even a biter, then he can get away with saying that about the Rottie or Pittie that was lazily sleeping in its own yard, or the escaped lab that just trotted up for him looking for a pat. Now, I suspect in this case, no one will really buy this . .. but think of all the other "afraid for my life" dog shootings that have been posted here . . .

 

[puppydog]

I think this tool has taken the bunny in Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail a little too seriously!

 

[Zoom]

He shot AT the dog five times, he didn't hit it five times. Still though...what a wuss. A baseball bat would have had more of a (literal) impact in terms of effectiveness.

 

[release the hounds]

Yes, he shot at it 5 times, it didn't say how many times he hit it. and hitting a small target like that that is moving like a terrier usually moves would not be an easy task by any means.

I think he knows better, and it has come to this. By saying he feared for his life, he looks like a wuss, but won't be charged or at least convicted of anything. If he'd had said he had enough of this dog charging and attacking him and his wife as the biked by then I'm sure there would have been criminal and civil cases against him.

i probably would have just kicked the dog, what if a canine catches the achilles and tears it, then you're layed up for months?

I think this was a bit extreme, but people do, or at least should have the right to protect themselves.

 

[Suzzie]

That's a little like taking a gun to shoot ants at your picnic.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

lol @ phobic

If you (general) are phobic to the point that you will SHOOT a gun....at something as common in our society as a dog...I question your sense in carrying a gun at all. Notice not your right...your sense.

 

[Hayley]

Firstly he had no right to shot the dog let alone 5 times, but the owners of this dogs should have it undercontrol, however this is highly exstream, 10 pounds of dog can not do to much har.. stupid gun happy snob