Off Leash Dog Shot in Loudoun County (Lynchburg: 2013, apartment)

[Mnseca]

Originally Posted by JanND

Most people can tell the difference between an aggressive dog or an overly friendly dog. First off a friendly dog is going to be coming to you in the front, not circling you and coming from the back.

I've known overly aggressive labs.....a full grown aggressive dog is frightening. Obviously this lady was not in visual contact with her own dog. .......probably round a bend in the walking path....And, he didn't shoot the other dog....likely it wasn't aggressing.

When you train a dog that it has no boundaries.....not on leash.....and likely not the first time....it thinks it is supposed to protect that area. the dog was doing what it thought it should do....because the owner hadn't trained it properly....and it was not under her control.....leash or not.

Just a lousy uneducated owner imo

I looked up the park.....Here is a link. Depending where they were walking....here are trails. https://www.novaparks.com/things-to-do#4

If you read my whole post, you can see that I was not implying the shooter was at fault. I also wasn't implying that the dog was not aggressive. I was just stating a fact - it is not clear from the description whether the dog was in fact aggressive or was just perceived as aggressive. "Jumping from behind" doesn't really explain much. I'm not implying it wasn't aggressive - you interpreted incorrectly - but was just wondering what, specifically, the dog was doing that seemed aggressive, as jumping doesn't by itself doesn't mean that. Again, not saying there was not something, just that I wonder what it was.

[Mnseca]

Originally Posted by spencgr

I don't understand why you think the dog wasn't being aggressive? You weren't there, so you don't know. I wasn't there, so I don't know. But the man was there. And the authorities agreed with him that it was self-defense.

You misinterpreted my real question for a rhetorical question. I was saying I don't understand and don't know. And you responded with "you don't know." That's what I said in the first place.

[Fantasticx]

Originally Posted by Mnseca

If you read my whole post, you can see that I was not implying the shooter was at fault. I also wasn't implying that the dog was not aggressive. I was just stating a fact - it is not clear from the description whether the dog was in fact aggressive or was just perceived as aggressive. "Jumping from behind" doesn't really explain much. I'm not implying it wasn't aggressive - you interpreted incorrectly - but was just wondering what, specifically, the dog was doing that seemed aggressive, as jumping doesn't by itself doesn't mean that. Again, not saying there was not something, just that I wonder what it was.

It doesn't matter if her dog was very friendly or not.. It's the law! A leash is a must!

[Hal Roach]

Glad someone took my advice on the other thread and carried a pistol. I'd rather see people eating them, than see them running loose. Half of all homeowners insurance claims...your dog bites me I will hire the sleaziest, most aggressive lawyer available and take you to the cleaners, and you will be the one barking like a dog, if not sqealing like a pig.

[car54]

Originally Posted by Hal Roach

...Half of all homeowners insurance claims...your dog bites me I will hire the sleaziest, most aggressive lawyer available and take you to the cleaners, and you will be the one barking like a dog, if not sqealing like a pig.

You're dreaming. Before you get a dime of a dog owner's money, you will have to secure a judgement exceeding the dog owner's liability coverage. Believe me, a huge insurance company is not afraid of your sleazy lawyer. They have hundreds of lawyers on staff and on retainer...and you will run out of money before they do. So, unless it is a very unusual case, it won't even go to court. You will settle with the insurance company. In other words, don't quit your day job.

I own commercial properties and have been sued a number of times over slippin' and trippin' and other mundane incidents. None made it to court. None became zillionaires. My insurance carriers negotiated fair settlements with the plaintiffs, out of court.

Sometimes that's a good thing, years ago 8 kids got killed in an amusement park fire in NJ. Parents of seven of them settled out of court for $2.5 million each. The eighth refused the settlement and went to court...the jury awarded them $750K.

Meanwhile, the guy that shot the puppy is a jerk. I hope he's proud of himself.

[Carlingtonian]

I resent dog owners who won't leash their dogs--but I can't see how shooting a LABRADOR could ever be justified. They're among the least aggressive dogs out there. I hate this guy already.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Hal Roach

Glad someone took my advice on the other thread and carried a pistol. I'd rather see people eating them, than see them running loose. Half of all homeowners insurance claims...your dog bites me I will hire the sleaziest, most aggressive lawyer available and take you to the cleaners, and you will be the one barking like a dog, if not sqealing like a pig.

Are you Eagle's Dad?

[LynchburgLover]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

I resent dog owners who won't leash their dogs--but I can't see how shooting a LABRADOR could ever be justified. They're among the least aggressive dogs out there. I hate this guy already.

Loudoun Times Mirror said "lab mix". Granted cute little puppy picture looks like a Lab. But if it were a pit or rott mix, would you change your mind? And Labs have been way over-bred so you never know. We once had a Lab go aggressively after the UPS man delivering a package because he surprised us in the yard. She didn't bite him but wrapped her leg around his to bring him down and growled. It was totally against her nature. Like any dog, Labs can bite.

[JanND]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Yeah, I have a real pet peeve about off leash dogs because over the course of 20 plus years in my neighborhood, I've dealt with this situation while walking my ON LEASH dog. Irritates me and it's kind of scary. I don't think I could ever shoot a dog, though. Lately, I've been out running and there's been a few times where I thought someone's very aggressive dog was going to jump the fence and come after me. I don't own a gun and couldn't shoot anyway, but I do wonder how I would handle it.

I do not blame you for being concerned.

Just sharing....
An older wiser neighbor of my brother's carries a big walking stick, and has a holstered can of wasp spray on his hip.....He told my brother it was much better than mace for dogs and will spray 20ft.

[JanND]

Originally Posted by Mnseca

If you read my whole post, you can see that I was not implying the shooter was at fault. I also wasn't implying that the dog was not aggressive. I was just stating a fact - it is not clear from the description whether the dog was in fact aggressive or was just perceived as aggressive. "Jumping from behind" doesn't really explain much. I'm not implying it wasn't aggressive - you interpreted incorrectly - but was just wondering what, specifically, the dog was doing that seemed aggressive, as jumping doesn't by itself doesn't mean that. Again, not saying there was not something, just that I wonder what it was.

We're good. Your statement was you just didn't understand. And another poster has addressed that well enough, it doesn't matter....the authorities understood that the dog actually from the article, both dogs were acting aggressive.

Like the guy had no choice.....while you might be able to protect yourself from one aggressive dog, it would be really hard with two.

And what if it were a kid, or someone who wasn't able to protect themselves.

I cannot believe these dog owners didn't use voice commands, and instead choose to run those 20 yards.....I'm guessing the dogs simply weren't dogs that the owners could control without hands on.

Regardless of what you or I think.....the authorities assessed that the man had to defend himself.....likely there were witnesses, or the other dog aggressed at folks even after the incident, or the owners told the truth....their dogs were aggressing.

Shooting a dog has got to be traumatic....he tried to get the owners to control their dog. Still feel bad for the man and the dog he had to shoot.