Father Shoots Neighbor's Pit Bull

cbs, News12 ^ | 21NOV08 | Chuck Weber

[familyop]

A local father shot and killed a neighbor's pit bull. The dog was loose and had followed a child into the dad's home.

Law enforcement says no one will face charges because of the incident-- not the father for shooting the dog in front of children, nor the pit bull's owner for letting the dog get out.

It happened in a quiet neighborhood west of Lantana, the dog shot in the driveway of the home of J.R. Martin. Martin declined comment.

But here's what the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Animal Control say happened. At least two girls were meeting at the Martin home for a ride to school. The pit bull followed one girl into the house and bit Martin's beagle. Martin first tried to scare away the pit bull with a BB gun, but the dog returned, reportedly growling at the children. Martin took out his .9 mm gun and shot the pit bull. The dog then ran down the street and died.

The shooting upset neighbor Ofelia Cravens. Prior to the shooting, Cravens said her daughter found the dog wandering down the street. Cravens said the pit bull was large, but friendly. Cravens said she and her daughter went up and down the street trying to find out who owned the dog. Cravens even put the dog in her garage for awhile.

"The next thing you hear is a shot," said Cravens. "And that was it. I'm very upset, because I could see if he was vicious dog. But he wasn't."

Cravens added, "I like J.R. And I respect him. But I sure as heck didn't know he had a gun."

Another neighbor tells CBS 12, there had to be a reason for Martin to take such an action.

Animal Control says the pit bull belonged to Fernando and Anna Flores, who live on another street. We were unable to reach the couple.

[Darnright]

>Now, I did say “it should be legal” to shoot any dog off a leash on your property or on public property, at your discretion.<

>It should be legal to shoot any dog off a leash on public property or on property not of the dog’s owner.<

You wrote this, I didn’t. In essence, you implied it should be legal to shoot a dog for simply wandering onto your yard, or worse, onto a public area. You made NO concession about “discretion”. What “discretion”? You want people to have the “discretion” to eliminate someone’s labrador because some kid left a gate open? That is why we taxpayers pay for something called “Animal control”. THEY should make the call, not you, Marshall Dillon.

Remember, if YOU have said “discretion”, then so does the rabid dog-hater. There again, in civilized society, a dog hater must call animal control, not open fire every time he sees some kid’s dog who may have gotten out entirely by mistake.

Recently some autistic child’s service dog got lost. You want any yahoo with a Jones for guns to be able to, without penalty, waste that dog, despite the fact it is of NO DANGER to anyone.

[Osage Orange]

As to your tag? Victims who shoot back aren't likely to be the victim.

Well....ha!

What came first...the chicken or the egg?

Are you a victim...until you fight back?

Heck if I know..!! Ha!!

Made me think.....Thanks!

molon labe

[Age of Reason]

Remember, if YOU have said “discretion”, then so does the rabid dog-hater.

A small price to pay to be free of killer dogs wandering the streets.

Better a thousand innocent poodles get shot than one child gets ripped to pieces by a lose pit bull.