This is one of those things that almost certainly varies from location to location, but here goes:
My across-the-street neighbor has a rather large dog (easily 50 lbs, maybe as much as 70). This dog normally stays in the neighbor’s back yard, although sometimes he does come thru the neighbor’s garage door and into the front yard.
I have a cat (actually two). Several times, I’ve noticed when I’ve been in the yard at the same time the dog has gotten out, he races across the street meaning ill will toward my cat.
That does not make me happy. I prefer to keep the cats in one piece for some time to come, and they’ve always been able to make it to the safety of my back yard. However. . .
If I happened to place myself between the dog and my cat, just waiting for just the right moment go Gallagher on this dog’s head, would I likely be in trouble? I would be very unhappy if he ripped one of my cats apart.
It’s not something I’m likely to do (even getting a bat), but just curious in general if I might end up in trouble for defending my property against a vicious animal. (Yeah, that’s it.)
And, no, I am not someone who is mean to animals. If I even see a beetle or spider in my house, I let them outside instead of reaching for the Raid.