Confronted by 2 loose pitbulls today...

[Guest JCE]

in my own yard no less

Went down to the mailbox, as I closed the lid and turned back towards the house there were my white-trash neighbors two pitbulls facing off at me

and barking in a threatening manner, and blocking the way back up to the house.

I promptly drew my trusty G19 and held it at low ready, the first one to lunge

at me was fixin to get popped, I think they sensed I meant business because they held back at about 20'.

Then I remembered my cell was in my pocket, so I called 911 and told them to send me a cop ASAP, I advised the dispatcher I had a gun permit and was armed.

About that time a kid from the house where the dogs lived was coming across the yard to retrieve the wayward mutts, I reholstered my weapon lest I be

charged with "brandishing in the presence of a child" or something stupid like that, plus I could see the cops coming from a distance and did not want to be holding a gun when they rolled up, could lead to bad things.

So the kid took the dogs in his house and the police and dog warden arrived, I told the cop my story and the first thing he does is remind me how discharging a gun in the city limits is a crime and if I'd shot the dog I'd be cited and that's what animal control is for yada...yada...yada:rolleyes:, he seemed more concerned that I MIGHT have shot the dogs, rather that I might have been attacked by them, guess he's never seen the results of being mauled by

vicious dogs before

At that point I calmly reminded him that I DIDN'T shoot the dog, although I

was fully prepared to, and I wasn't going to wait around for animal control to arrive while the dogs jaws are clamped on my nuts worrying about a stupid unlawful discharge citation, and I'd gladly take it to a jury.

So they go over to the offending neighbors, warn them not to let the dogs run loose anymore or else...we'll see:rolleyes:

But the demeanor of that cop really pissed me off, I don't know if it's because he's anti-CCW or just a prick

What is the appeal of pitbulls?, it seems like the trouble ones are owned

by the white-trash/black thugster crowd, out to show the neighborhood

how tough they are with their "badass" dog

And for those responsible pitbull owners, my rant's not directed at you;)

Ok, I feel better now...thanks for reading

JCE

[jgrauman]

as you mentioned, as with any breed of dog, the owner is responsible for the behavior. all breeds have tendencies, be it for hunting, violence or hauling but if the dog is properly taken care of, ie. trained and excersized, those tendencies can be easily controlled.

[SkWaShDeM]

You have more restraint than I do. I'd have shot them. I've actually shot a dog in a similar situation before. The animal control officer was more annoyed that he wouldn't get to shoot something that day than with the fact that I'd shot a dog 10 feet inside my parent's property line from the road with a .357.

[Guest Phantom6]

JCE wrote:

But the demeanor of that cop really pissed me off, I don't know if it's because he's anti-CCW or just a prick

Most likely the cop considered you a rank amature with a gun and a carry permit. Unfortunately, most people with carry permits do not continue to train and they are just that, rank amatures. If you shoot on a regular basis you can probably out shoot the cop as if he or she is like 96% of cops the only time they shoot and train is when forced to by their departments. That's why so many of them can not qualify with their firearms the first time around when scheduled.

[SkWaShDeM]

Most of the cops I know make the excuse that they don't have enough time to go to the range to practice, or enough spare cash to buy practice ammo. In my first apartment, the guy next door was a cop, and he thought I was absolutely insane for going to the range every week to shoot 100 rounds through my 9mm.

[Guest macho999]

What is the appeal of pitbulls?, it seems like the trouble ones are owned

by the white-trash/black thugster crowd, out to show the neighborhood

how tough they are with their "badass" dog

You may not be familiar with how things work in certain circles so having ample experience in dealing with certain segments of society I will do my best to explain.

Aside from dogfighting, which most people probably know some use these dogs for, they're also chained up to the car that's in danger of being repossessed and scattered about the fenced in yard as an additional obstacle for people trying to serve warrants and whatnot.

The vast majority of the pitbulls that are beaten, starved and otherwise run crazy are owned by those who aspire to have a criminal look about them. They're a sort of prop that goes along with the gang-looking clothes and slang words.

[saintsfanbrian]

I have to agree, if a dog threatened me on MY property, it would not live another minute, I don't care whose dog it was, even my own.

[Guest Len]

JCE:

While I'm no lawyer nor am I in LE, from what info you provide, I think you handled the situation correctly.

As for the cop's reaction, you listed the two most likely causes. Could be a combo of the two, or him just having a bad day.

[molonlabetn]

I have to agree, if a dog threatened me on MY property, it would not live another minute, I don't care whose dog it was, even my own.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'll second that!

All it takes is Ability, Opportunity, and Intent to do you harm, to create a potential deadly-force situation which you must respond to.

Depending on how close the dogs were (20' can be closed by a fast dog VERY quickly), it would have been in my best interests to preserve my tender flesh by taking a couple of head-shots.

If the dogs had charged, it is unlikely (though not impossible) for you to have been able to stop both of them before they got to you. Pit-bulls are also tough, it would almost certainly take more than a few shots to dispatch each of them with 9mm.

Glad you're okay.

[Guest JCE]

I'd have done exactly what you did and would have probably told the cop to piss off when he started in on the chastisement for me being ready to defend myself.

But that's just me and I'm friendly like that.

As much as I wanted to tell him something like that, I thought I'd best hold

my tongue.

The last thing I want is for some two-bit podunk cop to harbor a grudge

against me and getting harassed everytime I go out for whatever petty

little thing he can think of.

The cops in this town make $8 an hour at best, so many have a chip on

their shoulders because of that, they should either seek LE work in a better

paying agency, or find a different line of work.

I'm probably on his "Gun-nuts-to-keep-an-eye-on" list now

[Marswolf]

I think a letter to the editor is in order. I wouldn't use the term "white-trash" in it.

Tennessee has a dog leash law. In Tennessee, it is unlawful to permit a dog to run at large, unless the dog is engaged in legal hunting or herding. Basically, as soon as your dog steps a paw onto a public road or someone else's property, you are in violation of state law.

Doesn't matter whether you are in a city or the county. It applies to every inch of Tennessee.

[molonlabetn]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ good advice...

Get a camera/videocamera... use it if you see the dogs being allowed to run loose outside of the owners' property again.

[Guest JCE]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice

I'm going to wait and see if this problem is resolved, maybe having the

police and dog catcher come to their door with a pole-noose convinced

them to take this matter seriously from now on.

I'm also thinking about maybe moving back out into the country this summer

Despite spending the first 30yrs of my life in and around cities, I'm just not

much into cityboy ways anymore, and I'm regreting moving to town last year

[Guest jackdog]

I totally agree with Mars, Write a letter to the newspapers, I'd also write a letter to the mayor and or town council. Also Molon labe advice about the video recorder is also a great idea. Should you have to shoot the dogs at a later date you will have record of prior events.

[Guest db99wj]

There are so many cases on Pitbull attacks that any lawyer that can read should be able to defend you.

[towerclimber37]

I agree with Tungsten..and with most all of you.

here's a few things that you guys may not know about dogs.

1. they are a weapon. properly trained they are twice as dangerous as a bullet....there's a reason that LEO's tell you to control your dog or they will put it down.

2. During my time in the army, in the escape and evasion classes,2 things stood out the most...

1. get as far away from your internment area as possible..

2. if they use dogs...to defeat the dogs...kill the HANDLER...he's the only one they will respond for.

I don't know why I threw the last part out there...but I'll tell you this...a dog is a weapon..make NO mistake about that.

JCE...if it were me, I'd have already shot those dogs..and the cop would have given me a ticket, I would have gone to court and then berated the police department for their "public safety" attitude...

You at least showed restraint.

a good thing.

[chevyindyls1.40cal]

Wow, that sucks, My pit is very friendly, It is all how they were raised like any dog, Glad they didnt hurt you! Get a bb gun and pop one in the butt next time they are in your yard!

[Marswolf]

Most dogs generally act OK if brought up right. But different breeds have different behavior traits wired in genetically. Pit bulls are great dogs in many ways, but there are too many cases of the breed being loving pets until they suddenly snap and turn on their owner, or kids, or someone/something else.

There is a reason for communities with no-pit rules. It isn't all paranoia. If they attack you, you are in a fight for your life and the chances are very good that you will lose.

The CDC did a study a few years ago about fatal human attacks by dogs. About a third were by pit bulls. Next down the list were Rotties with about half the number of attacks as the pits.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

I have to agree, if a dog threatened me on MY property, it would not live another minute, I don't care whose dog it was, even my own.

I agree with Brian 100%. Would tell the officer "the (2) dead dogs are over there. You can write me my citation now."

What is up with all the LE's giving people who carry a hard time? This seems to be getting worse instead of better.

[Guest JCE]

I agree with Brian 100%. Would tell the officer "the (2) dead dogs are over there. You can write me my citation now."

What is up with all the LE's giving people who carry a hard time? This seems to be getting worse instead of better.

Getting a citation wouldn't be a big deal to me

I do wonder if they could confiscate my weapon or even worse, try to

get the DOS to pull my permit

Don't know if they could do any of that, but I wouldn't put it past them

to try

Stupidity + Power can be a dangerous thing

[Marswolf]

ROGERSVILLE - Hawkins County Sheriff Roger Christian said Tuesday his department has a strong lead on the identity of the man whose pit bull attacked a woman Sunday at Laurel Run Park.

The man is working out of state at this time, and Christian said he didn't want to say much more about the investigation until deputies have an opportunity to speak to him.

Unfortunately for the victim, Paula Kendrick, 43, of Mount Carmel, the discovery of his identity will be too late to prevent her from having a series of painful rabies shots.

Kendrick told the Times-News Tuesday she decided to go through with the painful shots Monday night. The only bright side is that rabies shots for humans aren't as painful as they used to be.

Instead of receiving a series of shots in the stomach, which was the procedure until recently, she received four shots in the area of the dog bite wounds on her arm.

"It hurt like heck," Kendrick said. "It takes effect immediately, and then I have to have four more later, but they're not as bad. They're in the arm, but not around the wound."

The pit bull attack occurred Sunday afternoon at Laurel Run Park as Kendrick was sitting near the bank of the Holston River with her 11-year-old dog Sammy.

She had Sammy on a leash, and as she saw the pit bull running toward her she grabbed Sammy by the collar to hold him close. She said the pit pull attacked Sammy, but her arm holding the collar was in the way and got "mauled."

The pit bull was wearing a leash that got tangled around Kendrick's legs and prevented her from moving.

Kendrick said Sammy probably saved her life by jumping on the pit bull's back as it was attempting to go for her throat. She received nine stitches on her arm.

Initially police believed the man gave Kendrick and paramedics who responded from Church Hill EMS a bogus name at the park following the attack. The sheriff's department checked the name and address Sunday night and determined it was false.

Now investigators are considering the possibility that there may have only been one discrepancy on the address. They won't know for sure until they speak to the "person of interest" who is working out of state, however.

[TGO David]

I know people love their dogs and Pit owners tend to be very loyal to their pets... but I've got a cure for the ones that attack people unprovoked. You can guarantee that any large dog that comes near me or my family with a menacing air about it will get introduced to at least two.

[Guest bob-e]

Most likely the cop considered you a rank amature

I don't see what difference that would make. A person with less skill has the same rights as a skilled shooter.

[Marswolf]

Seems to me that the Rogersville story makes a good argument for allowing park carry.

Tungsten, I have some rounds that look just like those....

[Guest Phantom6]

I don't see what difference that would make. A person with less skill has the same rights as a skilled shooter.

You are quite correct in your assumption that you certainly should have the same rights under the law but less skill = more opportunity for a stray shot which could endanger an innocent. Does that make the cop a safer, better shooter than the civi with a carry permit? Absolutely not for reasons I'll outline below. The sad fact remains however that many people (obviously not true of the majority of the participants in these forums) with carry permits rarely sharpen their skills by dry practicing at home or going to the range to validate that dry practice. Neither do they continue their training by taking advanced handgunning courses. Why? I don't know. If they did, sadly they would be more skilled than most law enforcement officers.

The fact is that people who practice, drill or take advanced training to sharpen or increase their defensive gun skills are intimidating to the cop that only shoots once or twice a year to qualify. That cop makes excuses like "the dpt. doesn't pay for my ammunition to practice" or "they don't pay me to go to the range and surely they can't expect me to go on my own time" is IMHO an act of negligence waiting for the right time to manifest itself. Unfortunately in my work with agencies throughout the Midwest and Southeast I have seen as much as 25% of a department fail to qualify with their weapons the first time they go to the range for regularly scheduled annual or simi-annual qualifications. Quite frankly, to me that's just plain freakin' scary.