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Is shooting a dog "animal cruelty?"

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joko104

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Minnesota woman shoots two dogs while deer hunting: Charged with animal cruelty - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com

There are dozens of cases of people prosecuted for "animal cruelty" for shooting a dog. I just picked that one for an example.

My question is not about whether what the woman did was wrong or even if it should be illegal, but is it "cruelty to an animal" to shoot a dog?

I shot a dog. Point blank in the head with a .357. No one could ever be fonder of or owe more to a dog than my daughter and I than that dog. That dog had saved both our lives many years earlier in a literal sense. Then for a few years that dog was her protection against potential rats. Just a mongrel female dog, not cute or pretty in any way. But her health was gone, she had gone blind, stumbling into walls, barely able to stand or walk, and seemingly in a lot of pain. So I wrapped her in a blanket, drove her into the country, gave her a hug, petted her one last time, thanked her, held a Colt Python .357 to her head and pulled the trigger.

What that cruel?

People kill animals all the time. Certainly for food, all food-livestock is killed by the hundreds of millions. People shoot animals for sport by the millions.

While I think shooting someone's dog should be a very serious crime, I don't think it's "animal cruelty" and it pure hypocrisy to claim so unless a person is a vegan/vegetarian.

Your opinion?
 
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There's a difference between shooting a dog to put it out of its' misery (euthanasia) and shooting a dog because it might scare the deer you want to shoot
 
In your case, I view it as a mercy killing, much like I would view euthanasia in general. It really depends on the situation and the circumstances.

I would rather shoot my own dog here where he/she is comfortable and loved, when it gets to the point of near-death, than to take it to a vet's office, where it would be in unfamiliar surroundings, and afraid.
 
joko104 said:
Minnesota woman shoots two dogs while deer hunting: Charged with animal cruelty - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com

There are dozens of cases of people prosecuted for "animal cruelty" for shooting a dog. I just picked that one for an example.

My question is not about whether what the woman did was wrong or even if it should be illegal, but is it "cruelty to an animal" to shoot a dog?

I shot a dog. Point blank in the head with a .357. No one could ever be fonder of or owe more to a dog than my daughter and I than that dog. That dog had saved both our lives many, many years earlier. Then for a few years that dog was her protection against potential rats. Just a mongrel female dog, not cute or pretty in any way. But her health was gone, she had gone blind, stumbling into walls, barely able to stand or walk, and seemingly in a lot of pain. So I wrapped her in a blanket, drove her into the country, gave her a hug, petted her one last time, and held a Colt Python .357 to her head and pulled the trigger.

What that cruel?

People kill animals all the time. Certainly for food, all food-livestock is killed by the hundreds of millions. People shoot animals for sport by the millions.

While I think shooting someone's dog should be a very serious crime, I don't think it's "animal cruelty" and it pure hypocrisy to claim so unless a person is a vegan/vegetarian.

Your opinion?
Click to expand...

I think it really all depends on circumstance. Shooting a dog that is in alot of pain definitely should not be categorized as animal cruelty, quite the opposite actually, though I would personally prefer to put them down medically.

However if you're shooting dogs for fun or for no reason at all, I'd say that definitely qualifies.
 
lizzie said:
In your case, I view it as a mercy killing, much like I would view euthanasia in general. It really depends on the situation and the circumstances.

I would rather shoot my own dog here where he/she is comfortable and loved, when it gets to the point of near-death, than to take it to a vet's office, where it would be in unfamiliar surroundings, and afraid.
Click to expand...

That was my thinking. I knew this way she was with me, secure to the end, and not a 1/2 second of suffering. This was not something I wanted to do. Very much didn't.
 
I think people are sidestepping the question of the word "cruel." Certainly it can be wrong, but cruel?

Personally, I think the "crime" should be worded differently.
 
lizzie said:
In your case, I view it as a mercy killing, much like I would view euthanasia in general. It really depends on the situation and the circumstances.

I would rather shoot my own dog here where he/she is comfortable and loved, when it gets to the point of near-death, than to take it to a vet's office, where it would be in unfamiliar surroundings, and afraid.
Click to expand...

I have a great vet. been using him for nearly 20 years. he knows my animals. last year I knew one of our dogs had reached the point where he needed to be "put down". He was nearly 17 y/o, almost totally blind and could barely walk. The vet knows I am a certified combat medic, so he allowed me to come to his office and pick up the shot so I could give it to our dog at home in familiar surroundings without the trauma of making that long last ride to the vet.
 
joko104 said:
I think people are sidestepping the question of the word "cruel." Certainly it can be wrong, but cruel?

Personally, I think the "crime" should be worded differently.
Click to expand...

It is only "cruel" if the shot is not a killing shot and the animal suffers for a time before dying. A quick bullet to the head is not "cruel"
 
lizzie said:
In your case, I view it as a mercy killing, much like I would view euthanasia in general. It really depends on the situation and the circumstances.

I would rather shoot my own dog here where he/she is comfortable and loved, when it gets to the point of near-death, than to take it to a vet's office, where it would be in unfamiliar surroundings, and afraid.
Click to expand...

That's actually a really good point about the vet's office, I never thought of it that way. Thanks for the insight. :)
 
lizzie said:
In your case, I view it as a mercy killing, much like I would view euthanasia in general. It really depends on the situation and the circumstances.

I would rather shoot my own dog here where he/she is comfortable and loved, when it gets to the point of near-death, than to take it to a vet's office, where it would be in unfamiliar surroundings, and afraid.
Click to expand...

I've had two of my dogs put down by the vet, who is a really compassionate man. He came out to the car (SUV) to do it, with me sitting next to them petting and keeping them relaxed so the last thing they knew was my touch. They didn't like going into the office (one was really super protective and the other dogs sent her into a froth) and when I told them that, the girls in the office said no problem, just let them know I'm out there.

If that's ever the case, lizzie, you might ask.
 
OscarB63 said:
It is only "cruel" if the shot is not a killing shot and the animal suffers for a time before dying. A quick bullet to the head is not "cruel"
Click to expand...

Even if the intent is filled with malice? Like as part of a sick game, or simply because it's annoying you?
 
My wife rescues many animals. Usually cats.

She had bought a ferret off someone for $100 one time. A runt. Deaf. Because the owner kept it locked in a small carrier in a spare bedroom having no contact of any kind with anyone. Basically locked in a closet alone - and they are very social creatures so she bought it out of compassion. She got 2 more ferrets because they are social. HUGE cage. Piles of toys. As time passed she hand fed and nursed it back from death 3 times. But the cancer (common to ferrets) had come to it being fully crippled and it clearly suffering. She took it to a vet, unable to even tell the vet to put her (the ferret down). Telling him to do whatever he could, just add it to her next vet bill, she didn't want to know. Big tears as she did.

She then found a good home with children (ferrets love to play) for the other 2, plus just gave them the cage and the rest - all worth well over $1000. For about a year once a month she'd go check them, telling them if they don't want them anymore just call her. She does that will all animals she gives away. She always follows up.
 
TeleKat said:
That's actually a really good point about the vet's office, I never thought of it that way. Thanks for the insight. :)
Click to expand...

I love my animals like I love my people, and I want whatever are the best possible circumstances for them in life and in death.
 
joko104 said:
I think people are sidestepping the question of the word "cruel." Certainly it can be wrong, but cruel?

Personally, I think the "crime" should be worded differently.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is cruel. They were pets and especially since it took two shots to kill one of them, it was suffering in between. I think violently killing an animal is cruel, which is why I don't hunt.

Yes, I do eat meat, is the answer to the next question.
 
Many animals are afraid of strange surroundings. Some will really go into a panic mode carrying them into a vet. I don't know if its the smells or what. Our little mini pom will start trembling so hard you'd think she's going to have a heart attack. Yet she takes that little dog everywhere and otherwise there is no problem.
 
sangha said:
There's a difference between shooting a dog to put it out of its' misery (euthanasia) and shooting a dog because it might scare the deer you want to shoot
Click to expand...

While this is true - I certainly wouldn't shoot a dog in the head. However, that's just me. I don't look at someone else doing that and think 'how cruel' - in the past we didn't have vets to euthanize. That was the option.
 
lizzie said:
I love my animals like I love my people, and I want whatever are the best possible circumstances for them in life and in death.
Click to expand...

Not to be vicious, one time at a bible study someone said no one's dog can go to heaven, only people can, specifically in a discussion that included her mini pom. My wife snapped back "She is more likely to be there than you!" Then the person running the study kicked in that the Bible doesn't really say to calm it down. While she sees animals as animals and does not personify them like most people do with their pets, she draws no distinction between that dog and her child.
 
joko104 said:
Many animals are afraid of strange surroundings. Some will really go into a panic mode carrying them into a vet. I don't know if its the smells or what. Our little mini pom will start trembling so hard you'd think she's going to have a heart attack. Yet she takes that little dog everywhere and otherwise there is no problem.
Click to expand...

I think it's because the "vibes" at a vet's office are fearful. Most animals feel a bit out of control there, and I think there is probably a smell associated with fear (and subsequent hormonal and chemical changes) which animals can detect, even though we cannot. At least that is my suspicion.
 
joko104 said:
Not to be vicious, one time at a bible study someone said no one's dog can go to heaven, only people can, specifically in a discussion that included her mini pom.
Click to expand...

And someone else's take on who and what can go to heaven has no effect on me, or on how I feel about the animals and people that I care about. If someone could prove to me that someone I loved was bound for hell, I'd love them just the same.
 
TeleKat said:
Even if the intent is filled with malice? Like as part of a sick game, or simply because it's annoying you?
Click to expand...

yup. I would consider that sick, twisted, evil, whatever, but unless the action inflicted suffering it was not "cruel"
 
Gina said:
I've had two of my dogs put down by the vet, who is a really compassionate man. He came out to the car (SUV) to do it, with me sitting next to them petting and keeping them relaxed so the last thing they knew was my touch. They didn't like going into the office (one was really super protective and the other dogs sent her into a froth) and when I told them that, the girls in the office said no problem, just let them know I'm out there.

If that's ever the case, lizzie, you might ask.
Click to expand...

I know a couple of vets in our area that advertise that they still do house calls.
 
Depends on the why and the how. If you intend to kill the dog, shoot it once, killing it immediately, how can that be cruel? But now, if you're shooting it just because it pissed you off and you intend to cause pain, that's cruel. If you intend to kill the animal and shoot it six times over the course of a half hour before you finally get in a kill shot, that too is cruel.
 
joko104 said:
Minnesota woman shoots two dogs while deer hunting: Charged with animal cruelty - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com

There are dozens of cases of people prosecuted for "animal cruelty" for shooting a dog. I just picked that one for an example.

My question is not about whether what the woman did was wrong or even if it should be illegal, but is it "cruelty to an animal" to shoot a dog?

I shot a dog. Point blank in the head with a .357. No one could ever be fonder of or owe more to a dog than my daughter and I than that dog. That dog had saved both our lives many years earlier in a literal sense. Then for a few years that dog was her protection against potential rats. Just a mongrel female dog, not cute or pretty in any way. But her health was gone, she had gone blind, stumbling into walls, barely able to stand or walk, and seemingly in a lot of pain. So I wrapped her in a blanket, drove her into the country, gave her a hug, petted her one last time, thanked her, held a Colt Python .357 to her head and pulled the trigger.

What that cruel?

People kill animals all the time. Certainly for food, all food-livestock is killed by the hundreds of millions. People shoot animals for sport by the millions.

While I think shooting someone's dog should be a very serious crime, I don't think it's "animal cruelty" and it pure hypocrisy to claim so unless a person is a vegan/vegetarian.

Your opinion?
Click to expand...


If it was on her land, she had every right to do so. If it was public land, maybe not.
 
joko104 said:
Minnesota woman shoots two dogs while deer hunting: Charged with animal cruelty - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com

There are dozens of cases of people prosecuted for "animal cruelty" for shooting a dog. I just picked that one for an example.

My question is not about whether what the woman did was wrong or even if it should be illegal, but is it "cruelty to an animal" to shoot a dog?

I shot a dog. Point blank in the head with a .357. No one could ever be fonder of or owe more to a dog than my daughter and I than that dog. That dog had saved both our lives many years earlier in a literal sense. Then for a few years that dog was her protection against potential rats. Just a mongrel female dog, not cute or pretty in any way. But her health was gone, she had gone blind, stumbling into walls, barely able to stand or walk, and seemingly in a lot of pain. So I wrapped her in a blanket, drove her into the country, gave her a hug, petted her one last time, thanked her, held a Colt Python .357 to her head and pulled the trigger.

What that cruel?

People kill animals all the time. Certainly for food, all food-livestock is killed by the hundreds of millions. People shoot animals for sport by the millions.

While I think shooting someone's dog should be a very serious crime, I don't think it's "animal cruelty" and it pure hypocrisy to claim so unless a person is a vegan/vegetarian.

Your opinion?
Click to expand...

This is a property crime because the dogs were not hers. It should not be a felony and should not come with jail time. She should have to cover the costs of the property she destroyed.
 
Is shooting squirrels cruelty to animals?

Is shooting a stray dog cruel, or is it only cruel when the dog is owned by someone?
 
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