# how do they shoot dogs for animal control purposes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012 "2011-07-22T18:56:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/21 "2011-07-23T00:22:27Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also illegal in most places. > > There is a difference between an official animal control officer shooting an animal. I dont have a problem with a proffessional pubic animal control officer killing an animal if he so determines that it is necessary. On the other hand, it is not the same thing for a private citizen doing it just because he wants to kill it. > > That would certainly be the decent thing to do. Shooting someone else’s animal is very questionable, esp if it is habitual, as it sounds like it is. I think shooting a dig that belongs to someone else dog is the last thing that should be done, and then only if the dog is threatening or rabid. > > If one can call in a dog close enough to shoot it with a pistol then not killing , then it and holding it for the Humane Society to come and take it would be what most people would do. Or you could sell it to a circus. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/22 "2011-07-23T00:33:09Z")
> [@Toucanna](#): > > Sorry, no documentary evidence. All I can give you is I was told this by an Animal Control Officer who told me it was done at the animal control facility in a small rural Texas town where he had worked and at other ACFs in small rural towns. ☹ > > ETA: IIRC, this dealt with county-run facilities that were a division of local law enforcement. Are you sure they weren’t simply using a euphemism for shooting the animal? I am neither a vet not a chemist, but it sure seems to me that feeding a critter solid lead pellets would be a very slow (and unpleasant) way to kill the critter. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/23 "2011-07-23T00:40:20Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. I would like to shoot some stray dogs on my property that irritate or may bite me on a walk, and prevent me from walking my dog lest she be injured, but I can’t kill a pet. He is probably talking about strays or ferals, and they are stressing or injuring his cattle. I couldn’t do it, being a weeny, but I understand why he does. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/24 "2011-07-23T00:56:31Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Are you sure they weren’t simply using a euphemism for shooting the animal? I am neither a vet not a chemist, but it sure seems to me that feeding a critter solid lead pellets would be a very slow (and unpleasant) way to kill the critter. I agree. This method will never work. Worse yet, the neurological effects of heavy metal poisoning could potentially make the animal even more dangerous. I guarantee that no department has ever tried to kill feral dogs by literally feeding them lead. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/25 "2011-07-23T01:05:10Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Are you sure they weren’t simply using a euphemism for shooting the animal? I am neither a vet not a chemist, but it sure seems to me that feeding a critter solid lead pellets would be a very slow (and unpleasant) way to kill the critter. You bring up a good point. Since I was going by memory on that point, I could be mistaken as to the exact composition of the poison. I know it wasn’t _solid lead_ pellets, so I apologize for that confusion. But I know it wasn’t a euphemism–he said they used poison because Administration didn’t want them to use up ammo in dispatching dogs. _Why_ Admin didn’t want the ACOs to use their ammo he didn’t say. Be that as it may, poisoning impounded dogs was not a policy he approved of. Regards, ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/26 "2011-07-23T01:06:00Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Are you sure they weren’t simply using a euphemism for shooting the animal? That’s what I thought when I read that. I live in a rural area where all the farmers have shotguns. It’s not uncommon to hear about a coyote dying of “lead poisoning.” I threatened one of our roosters with lead poisoning repeatedly. I really hated that bird. (No, I did not shoot him. A coyote got him. And I was not even a little bit sad.) ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/27 "2011-07-23T01:17:37Z")
Missed the Edit Window… Anyway, I guess the only point I can be sure of is that there are/have been ACFs that have used poison as a method of disposing of unwanted or feral dogs. Since the OP inquired about shooting dogs as a method of animal control, I will bow out of this discussion as I do not wish to derail it. Regards, ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/28 "2011-07-23T03:50:30Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Or you could sell it to a circus. ??? What? You made a mistake you got mixed up and you are posting to the wrong topic. **This topic is not about a circus!** Your entire comment is nonsensical and is not relevant at all. Your “reply” is not “replying” to anything being discussed here. (I hope your intention is not to hijack this topic) ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/29 "2011-07-23T04:01:22Z")
Originally Posted by Susanann Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I would like to shoot some stray dogs on my property that irritate or may bite me on a walk, and prevent me from walking my dog lest she be injured, but I can’t kill a pet. > > I couldn’t do it, being a weeny, but I understand why he does. I dont have a problem with defending yourself, i.e. when dogs come to you and then attack you. But that is not what he said. The dogs were not attacking him. He said he has to call the dogs in order for them to come to him, and then shoots them when they get near. Big difference. And sad. There is no need to for him to shoot and kill someone elses dog when they are not attacking him. I think it is illegal in most places to shoot and kill someone else’s dog, a dog that is not attacking anyone. As far as you going on a walk, I advise carrying a good pepper spray which will solve your problem whenever you go on a walk and will chase any dogs away without killing them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/30 "2011-07-23T04:08:24Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > I dont have a problem with defending yourself, i.e. when dogs come to you and then attack you. Look at where he is coming from. They are threatening his cattle. It’s ugly, but it’s his animals vs. a feral dog. I have the neighbors to worry about if I mace their dog. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/31 "2011-07-23T04:15:01Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also illegal in most places. I’m not sure this is correct. Now, I’m a city boy myself, but my understanding has been that if dogs are on your farm, threatening your livestock, you have the right to shoot them. If this were the case, I really can’t fault **Omar** for protecting his livestock/business interests. ETA: For example, [here’s an article](http://www.masscops.com/f79/farmers-shooting-dog-chicken-coop-horrifies-owner-39285/) from Massachusetts. > [@](#): > > “I think the law is pretty clear that a farmer can kill any animal that is threatening his livestock,” police Sgt. Peter Finnegan said. “I’m not sure what happened, as I was not on duty, but I think the farmer has the right to shoot anything domestic or otherwise and it’s his call.” This is consistent with what I’ve heard regarding this issue. It’s my understanding that it can be a real problem, with dogs eating chickens, killing sheep, and otherwise disturbing the farm animals. Omar (or somebody else in similar circumstances) can clarify. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/32 "2011-07-23T04:42:40Z")
Originally Posted by Susanann Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also illegal in most places. > [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not sure this is correct. Now, I’m a city boy myself, . Well, I dont care where you live, the question is:\* Do you think it is legal, necessary, and the right thing for “YOU” to shoot and kill someone elses dog on “YOUR” property? \*Yes, or no. Do you think it is legal, necessary, and the right thing for any and all of your friends and relatives to shoot and kill somebody elses dog? I still stand by what I said: \*\* This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also _ILLEGAL IN MOST PLACES._ \*\* ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/33 "2011-07-23T05:11:36Z")
_Ahem_ [Humane Investigator in State of Illinois] Just to make things clear. There are different scenarios being thrown around here. **Omar Little** has livestock. That means he has a working ranch or farm (or hobby, whatever, really doesn’t matter). Rural rules are not the same as urban or suburban rules. He was very clear to state he only eliminates \*\*\* un-collared dogs that are bothering his livestock\*\*\*. He has every right to protect his property in this one particular scenario. If protecting his property means putting a bullet to the head of a dog, coyote, fox, raccoon, opossum, etc., then he has every right and justification and legality to do so. From the Illinois statute: > [@](#): > > 5/18. Killing of dog seen to injure, wound or kill domestic animals > > § 18. Any owner seeing his or her livestock, poultry, or equidae being injured, wounded, or killed by a dog, not accompanied by or not under the supervision of its owner, may kill such dog. > CREDIT(S) > P.A. 78-795, § 18, eff. Oct. 1, 1973. Amended by P.A. 78-1166, § 1, eff. Aug. 27, 1974; P.A. 88-600, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; P.A. 93-548, § 5, eff. Aug. 19, 2003. Clear enough? [/Humane Investigator] As to the OP, I have difficulty figuring out what the hell **Code\_Grey** is actually trying to ask, so I’m not going to try without a clear and to-the-point question. If he can manage that, I’ll be inclined to give a clear answer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/34 "2011-07-23T05:15:15Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Originally Posted by Susanann > Yeah, it is very weird for a private citizen to shoot a dog that belongs to someone else instead of calling animal control. This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also illegal in most places. > > Well, I dont care where you live, the question is:\* Do you think it is legal, necessary, and the right thing for “YOU” to shoot and kill someone elses dog on “YOUR” property? \*Yes, or no. Do you think it is legal, necessary, and the right thing for any and all of your friends and relatives to shoot and kill somebody elses dog? > I still stand by what I said: > > \*\* This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also _ILLEGAL IN MOST PLACES._ \*\* My position is that it is legal and I find perfectly okay and ethical to kill a dog, in many if not most places, that have wandered onto a farm or ranch and started threatening or killing your livestock, which is what **Omar Little** is presumably doing, and which is the context of this discussion. We’re not talking about folks popping caps into dogs that just happened to wander into their yard. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/35 "2011-07-23T12:05:46Z")
**Susanann** , some things are simply different in rural areas, especially when a dog is damaging what is your _livelihood_. This isn’t the case of a neighborhood dog pestering your _pet._ I know some people who have a sheep ranch that is a good 20 miles by dirt road in most any direction from any town. You really think they should stop what they’re doing and drive an animal to the closest shelter, which is over an hour drive each way, when a strange dog is harassing the sheep? The sheep that provide money to feed and clothe them? I am the biggest animal softie ever but a ranch or farm are not suburbia and I totally understand that some things are different. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/36 "2011-07-23T12:09:24Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > **Susanann** , some things are simply different in rural areas, especially when a dog is damaging what is your _livelihood_. This isn’t the case of a neighborhood dog pestering your _pet._ I know some people who have a sheep ranch that is a good 20 miles by dirt road in most any direction from any town. You really think they should stop what they’re doing and drive an animal to the closest shelter, which is over an hour drive each way, when a strange dog is harassing the sheep? The sheep that provide money to feed and clothe them? > > I am the biggest animal softie ever but a ranch or farm are not suburbia and I totally understand that some things are different. I know all about rural areas. I was raised on a ranch, and all of my mom’s family lived on farms. If we called a roaming dog and it came to us, we tied it up and had someone take it away. There is no need to shoot a dog who comes to you when you call it. We never shot the neighbors dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/37 "2011-07-23T12:31:57Z")
> [@code\_grey](#): > > **TOPIC OF DISCUSSION:** is a dog very likely to die from any random bullet wound within the next several days? Do they use quality rifle scopes and aim for the head? Do they lure them nearby and use shotguns? Or how do they do it? > [@pulykamell](#): > > My position is that it is legal and I find perfectly okay and ethical to kill a dog, in many if not most places, that have wandered onto a farm or ranch and started threatening or killing your livestock, which is what **Omar Little** is presumably doing, and which is the context of this discussion. We’re not talking about folks popping caps into dogs that just happened to wander into their yard. \*\*This topic is NOT about farm living! \*\* The OP did NOT asking about what should be done on a farm. I think switching the discussion to farm life is hijacking the thread. The OP specifically asked about animal control of **DOGS**! If the OP was wanting to talk about farms, he would not have asked specifically about DOGS. IF the OP wanted to know about farms, he would not have limited his question to DOGS. If you want to talk about\*\* “farm life”,\*\* then start a new topic. How about we stay on topic? If he wanted to know about farms or threats to a farm then he probably would have asked about wild animals, coyotes, foxes, weasels, racoons, bears, deer, turkeys, etc, as most threats to farms are from wild animals. I have lived all my life on farms and ranches, and I can tell you that the last thing we ever worried about were dogs \*\*that came to us when we called them. \*\* I don’t see where a dog that comes to you when it is called is any threat at all, and certainly a dog that comes to you when you call it does not deserve to get shot because he came to you when you called him. I stand by what I said: **This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also ILLEGAL IN MOST PLACES. FYI, most people, IN MOST PLACES, do not live on farms.** Very few people live on farms. In MOST places, in most places of the USA, in most places in the world, it is illegal for a private citizen to shoot and kill a dog. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/38 "2011-07-23T14:14:54Z")
Susanann, you are talking out your ass, once again. You don’t know me or my circumstances. My actions were appropriate, legal, and necessary. Nobody in this thread has talked about living in a residential neighborhood or a downtown apartment and going around and killing stray dogs, yet you want to repeatedly talk about how my actions are illegal in most places. Misplaced comments. _ **Who can derail a thread like no other? Susanann can!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/39 "2011-07-23T14:20:24Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > \*\*This topic is NOT about farm living! \*\* > > The OP did NOT asking about what should be done on a farm. I think switching the discussion to farm life is hijacking the thread. The OP specifically asked about animal control of **DOGS**! If the OP was wanting to talk about farms, he would not have asked specifically about DOGS. IF the OP wanted to know about farms, he would not have limited his question to DOGS. If you want to talk about\*\* “farm life”,\*\* then start a new topic. > > How about we stay on topic? > > If he wanted to know about farms or threats to a farm then he probably would have asked about wild animals, coyotes, foxes, weasels, racoons, bears, deer, turkeys, etc, as most threats to farms are from wild animals. I have lived all my life on farms and ranches, and I can tell you that the last thing we ever worried about were dogs \*\*that came to us when we called them. \*\* > > I don’t see where a dog that comes to you when it is called is any threat at all, and certainly a dog that comes to you when you call it does not deserve to get shot because he came to you when you called him. > > I stand by what I said: > **This type of killing is so unnecessary, and shooting someone elses dog is also ILLEGAL IN MOST PLACES. FYI, most people, IN MOST PLACES, do not live on farms.** Very few people live on farms. In MOST places, in most places of the USA, in most places in the world, it is illegal for a private citizen to shoot and kill a dog. The topic is “shooting dogs for animal control purposes” - Omar’s response ws perfectly in line with this and consistent. You’ll note that he doesn’t state that he calls the dogs ‘to him’ - but to “close range” - several posters have clarified that what he is doing is perfectly legal. He, from his 2 sentence post, is not randomly shooting pets that wander onto his property. You are the one that is off topic here, and you’re shouting nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012/40 "2011-07-23T14:43:39Z")
A couple of years ago, I was bitten rescuing a frightened dog who ran off in a thunderstorm. The neighbor surrendered it to Animal Control who kept it for the requisite time to be sure it didn’t have rabies as is required by law. He got his dog back. If the neighbor could not give the dog to AC, they would have decapitated it and examined the brain to diagnose rabies. How would they have killed the dog? A “Marlin Perkins” tranquilizer gun? A pistol or rifle? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-shoot-dogs-for-animal-control-purposes/590012.md?page=3)