How would you handle this??

I would talk to local attorneys-I am not one nor do I play one on the Web. Defense of property or animals, not the same as self-defense or defense of others.
Regarding the expressions of vindictiveness, I belive in the old adage "As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap". Conversely, I also believe in the adage that "A neo-conservative is a liberal who has been mugged by reality." Often the best way to convert an anti-gunner is to put them in a situation where they need a gun and don't have one.
 
Originally posted by 44 AMP:

Still, there is the moral satisfaction of seeing someone who supports forcing their will and vision of a proper life on us, being forced to live with the unpleasant consequences of their views. Hoist on their own petard, as it were...

Few things would please me more than an active, virulent anti-gun supporter realizing the error of their ways. On those rare occasions that they do, it is usually because they are suffering some kind of personal risk or loss.
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So, it would tickle you to no end to see an innocent dog killed/hurt just because their owners views are different than yours?

Why should the dog suffer because of his owners views? Is the dog anti-gun too? Did he do anything to the OP to validate him being harmed? Enough to make him smile and chuckle to himself?

Being a good neighbor is just that. Even tho most neighbors are not perfect, you look out for each other and you look out for their possessions.....and you hope they do the same for you. Now if they have a history of being an ass/poor neighbor or doing stupid things it's one thing, but letting their pet get harmed and getting joy from it, is not ethical, nor is it moral. It is also not the image I would wish to portray as a gun owner....or a neighbor.

If nothing else the OP needs to inform the neighbor that his dog was at risk. The knowledge that the OP may have saved the dog should be a good thing. Also asking the neighbor if using a legal means of disposing of the coyotes would be permissible on their property may take away all fear of repercussion. Asking in advance takes away the guessing and the indecisiveness. It also sets clear boundaries.

The other thing I would do as long as there is open public land adjacent to the property is to try and actively call the coyotes. They are in the area and are used to coming there. They may be easy to fool and even shooting and missing may be all they need to take their hunting elsewhere.
 
I live in a rural/suburban setting with homes too close for a safe rifle shot in a couple of directions on my land. And I have small dogs, and plenty of big Maine coyotes around. I never leave the dogs out unattended, and I keep a hickory ax handle handy. I wouldn't hesitate to walk towards a couple of yotes with it in my hands.

Although it is Maine, and no one on my street would mind if I got a safe shot off on them.
 
So answer the question,,,,,,

Is the neighbor anti gun or not?

Is it just an assumption or is it a solid fact?

2) The neighbor is certainly an anti-gunner
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That's a whole lot different than saying the neighbor is anti gun.


While we're at it, are you sure the two animals were coyotes or could they have been feral dogs?

My husky /mix "all American" could pass for a coyote any day of the week.
 
If it was my dog, I'm shooting the coyotes. If it's my gun-hating neighbor's dog, I'd give him a call and warn him that his dog is about to be torn from limb to limb. FWIW, those coyotes will be back, they aren't going anywhere.


The neighbor is certainly an anti-gunner
That's a whole lot different than saying the neighbor is anti gun.
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How is it different?

While we're at it, are you sure the two animals were coyotes or could they have been feral dogs?
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Why would that matter - wild dogs or coyotes, either will attack and kill a domestic dog if it can.
 
How is it different?
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One infers an opinion and the other is a statement of fact.

If I say you own a gun because you post on TFL, I'm posing my opinion that since you post here, you must own a gun.
For all I know, you might just be hanging out here because you've always liked guns but never went out and got one.

There's an awful lot of vile here being directed at the neighbor, based on nothing more than the OP's apparent opinion.

Don't you think it would be nice to find out if the neighbor is an anti before blasting him or her?

Why would that matter - wild dogs or coyotes, either will attack and kill a domestic dog if it can.
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You can run off coyotes. They run away from people unless they are starving, hurt or sick.

Also - since you don't appear to know better - coyotes once run off pretty much stay run off. They have pretty good memories and will avoid places they've had a bad experience with.

Feral dogs have little if any fear of people.

A lot of posters here are saying you can scare off coyotes and don't need to be armed to deal with them.
Try that with feral dogs & you could be in for a really bad time.

Also, feral dogs will "pack up" with domestic pets.
What looks like a coyote and another coyote about to maul a dog, might actually be a feral dog & sweet old Mrs. Jone's husky/shepard mix that you're about to send to the big dog pound in the sky.
It matters a whole lot which they were/are.
 
Originally posted by 44 AMP:

Still, there is the moral satisfaction of seeing someone who supports forcing their will and vision of a proper life on us, being forced to live with the unpleasant consequences of their views. Hoist on their own petard, as it were...

Few things would please me more than an active, virulent anti-gun supporter realizing the error of their ways. On those rare occasions that they do, it is usually because they are suffering some kind of personal risk or loss.
Click to expand...

So, it would tickle you to no end to see an innocent dog killed/hurt just because their owners views are different than yours?

Why should the dog suffer because of his owners views? Is the dog anti-gun too? Did he do anything to the OP to validate him being harmed? Enough to make him smile and chuckle to himself?
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You got a message, but missed my point. I have a lot of sympathy for the dog.
 
A lot of posters here are saying you can scare off coyotes and don't need to be armed to deal with them.
Try that with feral dogs & you could be in for a really bad time.
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How many people can't tell the difference between a coyote and a feral dog? Maybe I've lived in the country too long, but I've never met someone who can't tell the difference. The ear, nose, leg, and tail combination on a coyote is pretty distinct. Even so, a feral dog isn't aggressive towards humans, not unless there is something wrong with it. The vast majority of the time, they run, too. They won't run as quickly as a coyote, but they'll still run. I used to run both off all the time on animal complaint calls and have helped animal control trap a number over the years. They aren't too dissimilar in behavior. Coyotes are just more skiddish while feral dogs tend to hang around places where people live, mostly to scavenge food.
 
A bottle of Jameson's to anyone who saves my wife's dog.

I dread the day something happens to that mutt.

Especially on my watch!
 
I would call the neighbor, tell them what is going on, and ASK them if they wished for me to intervene to save their dog.

That way if they say yes, all is good, if they say no, it is up to them to decide whether THEY want to intervene or bury their dog.

Either way my conscience is clear because either I saved the dog, or offered and was rebuffed.
 
Even so, a feral dog isn't aggressive towards humans,
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The two that jumped me a number of years ago must not have gotten the memo to not be aggressive.:rolleyes:

How many people can't tell the difference between a coyote and a feral dog? Maybe I've lived in the country too long, but I've never met someone who can't tell the difference
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You give way too much credit to suburban dwellers.
I'd guess that one out of 1000 could tell the difference.
 
You give way too much credit to suburban dwellers.
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You're probably right here. I'm a rural Mississippian. I've traveled to a number of different states and countries, but I hate cities and city life. Living in Memphis for the time I did was just hell. La Ceiba, Honduras wasn't so bad, though. I probably do have an unrealistic expectation of urban and suburban residents when it comes to identifying wildlife.

In my experience, those dogs that attacked you aren't representative of feral dogs in general. To be clear, I'm not advocating not having a gun on you when dealing with them. Please do. I'm just saying that the vast, vast majority of the time you don't need one.
 
I'm not advocating not having a gun on you when dealing with them. Please do.I'm just saying that the vast, vast majority of the time you don't need one.
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Isn't that the way it is with everything? None of us (@ least I hope none of us) carry because we're looking for trouble.
It's like wearing a seat belt.


BTW - love your part of the country down there. We spent 4 days in Tunica back in 2004.
 
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Everyone has expressed interesting opinions.

But I would, honestly, tell the neighbor what happened and leave it at that. A rabid anti-gunner is going to hear you were going to shoot the his/her dog.

An anti-gunner might forget they wanted you to shoot the coyotes, especially if something happens to their dog accidentally.

If it happens again, I would be armed to protect myself, and try yelling at the coyotes and scaring them away.

As for telling the difference between coyote and feral dogs, my wife is one who can not tell the difference. She felt sorry for that skinny looking German Shepard.

I had been trapped in my little barn once by a pack of four feral dogs. I tried to scare them off when they were going after my chickens and they turned and started growling at me. As a rule of thumb, I never shoot a dog with a collar if I can help it. In this case, there was an exception to the rule.

Jim567: I was in Florida a while back and saved a mutt. I believe he belonged to your wife. Please send the Jameson to my house. :D
 
Around this part of rural Illinois, coyotes and feral dogs are shot. And if you don't do it, the neighbors will.
 
BTW - love your part of the country down there. We spent 4 days in Tunica back in 2004.
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I'm next county over, DeSoto. I did bail enforcement out of Tunica years ago. Fun times. I won't do it again, but since I lived through it, I look back on it somewhat fondly.
 
If you have a dog and live where there's coyotes around it's foolish to let them in the yard unsupervised. Coyotes have no trouble at all climbing/jumping over fences and see your dog as dinner.

My parents live I the Chicago suburbs, their street ends at the Cook County Forest Preserves which is full of coyotes. People who lived there long enough know not to leave their pets out alone, new people who move in often don't or dismiss the risk when you tell them. They learn the hard way when they find their dog half-eaten in the yard or their cat disappears.
 
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