That’s pretty much the criteria for discharging a firearm near an occupied residence.
Not in Ohio.
2923.161 Discharge of firearm on or near prohibited premises
While what the officer did was stupid, it wasn’t illegal, as he didn’t fire “at or into” a residence.
Good grief. I assume you never heard from them again?
When I was growing up, in the 1960s (and this was in PA as well) a deer ran from a wooded area, through several yards, smashed up against a sliding glass door at our neighbor’s house (not sure why the door didn’t break, but it didn’t), and was lying on their driveway, thrashing in pain. Police or someone came out - and killed it with a crowbar. :eek:
This sounded horrible but apparently they weren’t allowed to use guns in this situation and it was their only option.
It may not be illegal but it’s a stupid thing to do with the risk of a ricochet or a bullet going through a space in the woodpile.
I’ll agree with that, but in his post BigT appeared to be saying that shooting an animal is an inherently cruel act, and always unacceptable save in certain dire emergencies. And that’s the sentiment I’m objecting to. Shooting an animal can provide a humane death if you’re a decent shot and know what you’re doing. In fact, for some animals such as horses, shooting is arguably MORE humane than euthanasia by drugs (because a properly placed bullet kills the horse instantly, while the drugs take a bit of time to work).
Shooting is upsetting to the human observers; that more than anything is why some people react so viscerally to it. Notice that the “humane” drug euthanasia at the shelter requires trapping and then handling the feral cats in order to inject the drugs, something which any wild animal will find extremely stressful to endure. Which is REALLY more humane - a quick death by bullet, or 20 minutes of confinement stress followed by two or three minutes of profound terror before the moment of unconsciousness arrives?
The reason not to shoot in this case is purely location, NOT cruelty.
As long as you don’t declaw the cat first shooting them, in these instances, is just fine.
That should be printed onto a T-shirt. 
This title is inaccurate. This is a group of menopausal busy-bodies who used to call themselves the “Ohio Humane Education Association.”
They do nothing but run around trying to get their name in the news in relation to animal welfare issues so that people will donate to them. (God knows how many people that organization is supporting at this point!)
I’ve never heard of them providing any actual services to any animals. They are an “awareness” organization. They like to call in all the local authorities as a way to get news interviews. Somewhere along the line, they changed their name to OHIO SPCA in order to make is sound like they were the SPCA… they are not. BUT, the name change has netted them far more donations.
I’m so sick of seeing these old bats running their mouths about stuff that they are not willing to lift one finger to help out with. They’re probably the worse animal welfare non-profit in the entire state of Ohio.
This confused me, since I assumed there was some sort of overarching SPCA organization that would slap such things down. But on quick check, apparently not. I guess anybody can use the name, in the U.S. at least.
I grew up out in the back country, and more than once, we took the “Ol’ Yeller” approach to pet euthanasia.
Zero risk of bystander safety. Realistic approach to youngsters (not “young children.”) We also butchered beef on the scene. We were always very careful about teaching kids the facts, and readying them for it before they saw it.
Risk of a botched job? Yes, that’s intrinsic. Shelters have botched euthanasia also: painful injections, incorrect doses, etc. This is a big problem in human capital punishment, too. It is scientifically impossible to do it with no risk of suffering.
“High risk?” I disagree. I know how to place my shot. The risk exists, but it is not high.
Ouch! Wicked satirical comment. Worthy of The Onion!
Yeah, gonna have to agree with Trinopus here. I grew up on a cow/calf alfalfa/sorghum working farm in Western Kansas. When I was five or so, my family got an Australian Shepherd named Pepper, whom I love to this day. Outdoor-only, all-weather, drag-the-poached-deer-carcass-a-half-mile-to-the-yard, roll-in-anything-and-everything-disgusting farm dog. Also the come-running-to-you-at-a-dead-sprint-when-you-call-from-half-a-mile-away dog. And the so-goddamned-happy-to-see-you-all-the-time and barely-even-whimper-during-a-half-hour-session-of-pulling-off-40-blood-gorged-ticks dog. Did I mention I kind of loved him?
I was back visiting during college, and my uncle took me aside and told me that he had shot Pepper. They were on a normal round up, and one of the lead bitches (any of you who have worked cattle will know what I mean) caught him on the rear hip with a kick. Totally destroyed the pelvis. My uncle took a rifle out of a truck and shot him on the spot. And then buried him in the woods near the barn.
My reaction? Appreciation. Appreciation that my oldest and best friend did not have to suffer through a 20 minute ride to the vet, to inevitably be put down (he was a very ‘old man’ at that point). Appreciation that his last big scene was herding cattle, which gave him more joy than anything, excepting (maybe) getting scritches from me. Appreciation that the last thing he knew was a known and soothing voice comforting him. Appreciation that he was laid to rest in a hand-dug grave on the farm that had been his entire life. And finally, appreciation that my uncle would do this for him and me, and that my uncle would take the first chance to tell me that he did.
I know I’m in the minority here, but I believe that a bullet is often the best, swiftest, and kindest death we can give to another creature, if circumstances warrant and compassion is the guiding emotion. To the point that I honestly believe that a firing squad is probably the most humane way that humans have found to execute other humans (the ethics of the death penalty aside).
And if this is TL;DR/gross, do not ask me about the Easter Sunday spent inside a steer carcass with a hacksaw. Too many are removed from the real life/death cycle of nature. My childhood insured that I am not.
And a final thought, if not really an ETA… Going out of the house/getting in the truck/going to the vet is the most stressful thing in my beloved cat’s life. He blows his coat and cries pitiably the whole way there, certain I’m going to abandon/allow others to torture him. If I cannot find a vet to come to my house for that last walk, I will borrow a pistol, give him one last good day, and shoot him. And then I’ll dig a grave and share a bottle of whiskey with him, crying all the while.
This ^^^^^
To start with, a very poetic post. There are fewer and fewer rural places in the U.S. The “ranch” I grew up on is now a housing development. But there are still a few places left where this sort of thing really does make sense.
And… I’d love to hear the story about the steer carcass!
(I was too young to be involved in it, but many years ago, some bastard shot one of my dad’s horses. Shot the horse in the rectum. The horse screamed in pain for a long time before my dad got to him to finish him off mercifully. My dad, bless him, then went and got out his biggest knife and started cutting away, in order to retrieve the bullet to give to the sheriff. I’m betting your story is every bit as gross!)
Yes, they kill anything they can. Which is why pet cats should be neutered, unless required for breeding.