Not really horse law, but maybe someone has some idea? (dog shot)

I'll waive the BS flag on this. Every person has the right to self defense. If a dog is killing you, you absolutely have the right to kill it first. That is true anywhere in the USA.

Please show me the section of Colorado law that says a man cannot shoot a dog that is killing him or someone else.

"McCombs shot the attacking dog twice, killing it, Colorado Springs police said. He had a permit to carry a concealed handgun, police said, and appeared to be “within the guidelines of the law” when firing his handgun.

Read more: Man on evening stroll fatally shoots attacking dog | police, greyhound, dog - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO"

Yes, he shot the dog that was attacking his dog, not him. The idea that it is legal to shoot a dog attacking your dog, but not to shoot a dog trying to kill you is absurd.

From the Colorado Animal Cruelty laws (18-9-202):

"A person commits aggravated cruelty to animals if he or she knowingly tortures, needlessly mutilates, or needlessly kills an animal."

Needlessly. No jury would consider self defense of your life "needless".

I'm glad we live where we do. Oklahoma has a statewide leash law. If a neighbor's dog gets loose and is on your property, you can take whatever action is necessary. Necessary being the operative word. If the dog is just a big old friendly goof, call the neighbor and tell them to come get their dog if you are worried about it getting to your livestock.

If you've had problems with the dog running your cattle or horses, or killing your chickens shoot it. If you have never seen the dog before and it's running your livestock, chasing and/or killing your chickens - or trying to, shoot it. The owners are in violation of the state leash law and can't do a darn thing about it.

Our horses killed a pit bull several years ago. It had attacked one of our horses on a previous occasion and left some pretty nasty bite marks on her legs. We warned the owner to keep the dog put up or we'd shoot it. We sent him the vet bills, but he didn't have any money, so there was no point in taking him to court - you can't get blood from a turnip.

At any rate, I looked out one day because the horses were having a hissy fit - bucking running, kicking - but I couldn't see anything. Went out to see what all the commotion was about - that dang dog was dead in the pasture. Guess the horses got tired of him harrassing them. Neighbor tried to sue us! Didn't get anywhere - judge told him if the horses hadn't killed the dog, we certainly could have since the dog was running loose - in violation of the state leash law.

I just recently learned (via news article, so not the most reliable source!) that it's legal in our city/county/whatever to shoot a dog to euthanize it, but if you don't accomplish the task, you'll be charged with animal cruelty. There have been two cases lately of dogs found with gunshot wounds who also had a large mass. They surmised the owner thought the mass was cancer and wanted to put the dog down but couldn't afford vet bills for either diagnosis or euthanasia, so DIYed it, but not successfully. I'm not sure the outcome of the first story, but the second dog is making a recovery, and will likely be adopted by the sheriff who answered the call reporting the shot dog. Awww...

Ankle biter or not, if a dog attacks anyone in my family it will be put down. I own 6 dogs and enjoy them as much as the next guy but you guys are talking theory. A friend of mine recently got scratched by a stray cat who got into his garage and ended up loosing parts of his hand because he got a bad bacterial infection from it. He was just trying to be nice and put the cat outside. The most basic of civil liberties is ones right to defend themselves and by extension, family. If this happened as stated and they file charges, let me know, I'll send you some money to help fight it. Any convictions, even "just a fine" is a violation of basic human liberties. These animal rights people have to be stopped. The idea that one persons right to own a dog(and let it terrorize other people) is more important than "my" right to run livestock on my property or even enjoy not stepping in dog crap when I mow, is completely ridiculous.

I didn’t read all of the postings, but we had a problem a while back with dogs killing our livestock. We lost over 60 rabbits, 50 chickens, 5 goats and maybe ducks over these dogs. We would report it to the dog warren and they would come check it out and then return the dog if we trapped it. Many different owners, once the owners got in trouble for no tags. After being on going for so long, he told us don’t call shot the dog, even if it’s just in our yard and call report it the them then burry it. So we now have a couple dogs buried outback, but only shot them if they messing with out animals.

You must be in a bind I hope your husband gets out of it I wish you the best of luck

My bro and I were riding our horses and our neighbors piutbull came at us several times. And the police were called but they didnt do anything my dad took care of him :)

I hope it turns out for you all.

I have been through this once before, here in KY. The neighbor's two dogs were constantly coming down and harassing my pregnant and very valuable broodmare. She was pretty heavily bred, about 7 months along. Well, I gave the owner more than fair chances at keeping their dogs safe. I told the neighbor three times to keep his dogs chained up or the next time they came down harassing my mare I was going to shoot them. The fourth time the dogs came down into the pasture and was chasing and barking at my mare, I took the high powered rifle and shot one of them and the other ran off. The owner came down and was beyond mad and after a few choice words I called the sheriff down to sort this out and he told the man that everything I did was completely legal. He even told the guy that I was beyond complying with the law. He told the guy that I didn't have to even give him the first chance at tying his dogs. So, needless to say, he chained the other dog up. But, unfortunately, I gave them too many chances and it was too much stress on my mare and she wound up aborting the foal. So, it's all kind of pointless to me now. You've just got to protect whats your's and if people can't understand that then it's their ignorance.