Reply #54: I shot a neighbors' dog once - very lightly, no injury

[slackmaster]

My stupid neighbor refused to keep her dog confined to her yard. It kept coming into mine and tearing up vegetation. Because I was renting, the city's Animal Control people wouldn't give me the time of day.

The final time I confronted my neighbor, she said "I can't control him."

That was it.

I used a low-velocity BB, hitting the adult male German Shepherd in the butt. The shot was so light it didn't get through the fur. The dog ran home yelping, and I never saw it again.

If a dog is smarter than its owner, your best bet is to reason with the dog. Deadly force is appropriate only if the animal poses a real threat.