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Confidential Advice Needed Over The Shooting Of A Dog


tegk68

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A woman local to me adopted a dog from a registered charity Rescue 4 weeks ago. He was a young lurcher type dog approx. 1 year old. Last week the dog snapped at her when they were both sharing the sofa, and I think one other time when he kept escaping the garden and she went to return him. He had a lovely write up by the Rescue and had been with them for approx. 6 weeks before being rehomed. They did the usual Homecheck.

 

Last Friday, this woman's boyfriend was at our local pub telling all and sundry how the dog had snapped at this woman on the sofa and how she had called him up and asked him to come and deal with the dog. He came round that same evening (last Thursday I think), dug a hole in the garden and shot the dog with his 12 bore shotgun. They did not either contact the Rescue or their vets for advice at any point.

 

I have done some research and it seems that legally you can shoot your own dog :-( So, there is no legal recourse to be had. What would you want to know as a Rescue with regards to this horrific mess? Is it really worth passing on all the details and upsetting people when nothing can be done?

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Thats a dreadful thing indeed :(

 

I have no idea on the legal side of things but by alerting the rescue they can surely speak with the RSPCA , Police and a Lawyer to explore options

 

There may be something in a adoption agreement that outlines what happens if a dog is no longer wanted , I am guessing the man has the correct licences to own a firearm but I am sure that shooting your own dog is not what is expected by whomever grants such licences and that might impact on future renewals

 

If I was a UK rescue I would want to know , even here in Sri Lanka where their really is no welfare laws I would want to know

 

Hope that helps

 

Sam

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I would think that if you kill it outright you probably can legally shoot your own dog..but if you cause it suffering, then not. Personally I'd tell the rescue, as if she got one dog from a rescue, she may well try for another and who knows..it may be way she treated it that made it bite her. She obviously isn't the sort to look for a less final solution to a problem, poor dog.

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I would tell the rescue as when i adopted from HWAR i signed an adoption agreement, in that adoption agreement it was stated i must return the dog if no longer able to care for him and also the rescue could come and take back my dog at any point if they were unhappy with the lifestyle we were poviding so technically i guess i didn't "own" him as such, more like i was looking after him at my own expense.

What the hell is wrong with someone allowing someone else to shoot their dog? it snapped... get it help then, if you don't have the time patience or money to get help then return him to the rescue.

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I would mention it to the rescue and either they or you contact the police.

 

Hubby used to be a firearms dealer and still does target shooting. He says there are restrictions on where you can use a shotgun. He can't remember exactly but thinks the police would take a dim view of discharging one in a back garden if that is where he did it.

 

They would also check that he had a licence for the guna nd it wa stored correctly.

 

The RSPCA may check that the dog did die instantly, in which case there was no cruelty in the eyes of the law.

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That is sad. Some rescues do a 6 month post rehoming check to make sure everything is still ok (or they did when we adopted Amber 8 years ago). I am not a rescue, but I think the rescue should know, as the couple may choose to go back and adopt another dog.

 

I would also be worried about the shotgun issue, maybe a call to 101 (police non emergency number) for advice might be a good idea :flowers:

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Thank you all.

 

I know he has the proper licence in place. Proving he shot the poor dog in the garden might be tricky, if that's where it did it even. He would know the law on this sort of thing I'm sure. The dog is buried in the garden, that is certain, so he could be checked but my guess is that with a 12 bore, half his head would be missing :-(. So, death would be very quick.

 

I am unfortunately linked to these people, very, very sadly. It is my step daughters mother and her boyfriend. This makes it rather tricky, as you can imagine.

 

What I have done is a sort of cowards compromise, in that I have contacted the rescue anonymously and told them that a) the poor dog is dead and b) they will find no veterinary records. I have also mentioned that it would be wise not to re home another dog there. It might be the case that someone else locally gets in touch with them also and gives them a fuller story, since he is seemingly quite happy to go round and brag about it in such a small community. I hope so. We know him to have shot two pet cats. One of which was my stepdaughters, the other belonging to a dear friends husband.

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As a rescue I would certainly want to know even though it is too late for this poor dog.

 

Regarding the shotgun, probably the best person to speak to would be the local police firearms officer as they are the ones who approve or revoke licences and with this sort of history they may well take a very dim view of things and either remove or at least refuse to renew his licence.

 

Someone who is happy to shoot cats and dogs like that should not, in my opinion, be allowed a lethal weapon.

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Thank you all.

 

I know he has the proper licence in place. Proving he shot the poor dog in the garden might be tricky, if that's where it did it even. He would know the law on this sort of thing I'm sure. The dog is buried in the garden, that is certain, so he could be checked but my guess is that with a 12 bore, half his head would be missing :-(. So, death would be very quick.

 

I am unfortunately linked to these people, very, very sadly. It is my step daughters mother and her boyfriend. This makes it rather tricky, as you can imagine.

 

What I have done is a sort of cowards compromise, in that I have contacted the rescue anonymously and told them that a) the poor dog is dead and b) they will find no veterinary records. I have also mentioned that it would be wise not to re home another dog there. It might be the case that someone else locally gets in touch with them also and gives them a fuller story, since he is seemingly quite happy to go round and brag about it in such a small community. I hope so. We know him to have shot two pet cats. One of which was my stepdaughters, the other belonging to a dear friends husband.

 

Thank you all.

 

I know he has the proper licence in place. Proving he shot the poor dog in the garden might be tricky, if that's where it did it even. He would know the law on this sort of thing I'm sure. The dog is buried in the garden, that is certain, so he could be checked but my guess is that with a 12 bore, half his head would be missing :-(. So, death would be very quick.

 

I am unfortunately linked to these people, very, very sadly. It is my step daughters mother and her boyfriend. This makes it rather tricky, as you can imagine.

 

What I have done is a sort of cowards compromise, in that I have contacted the rescue anonymously and told them that a) the poor dog is dead and b) they will find no veterinary records. I have also mentioned that it would be wise not to re home another dog there. It might be the case that someone else locally gets in touch with them also and gives them a fuller story, since he is seemingly quite happy to go round and brag about it in such a small community. I hope so. We know him to have shot two pet cats. One of which was my stepdaughters, the other belonging to a dear friends husband.

 

It might still be worthwhile reporting him to the police. You can do this annonymously woth Crimestoppers over the phone or online.

 

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information-online/

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What horrible people! I'm glad you have let the rescue know as I would have for certain. Poor, poor dog :mecry: I also think the police should be told - as others have said it may be of concern to them over how and when he is discharging his shotgun.

 

 

And on a happy note hello to you stranger :flowers: :wave4: What have you been up too and how's all the fur family? I lost George on June 2011 but Archie is still going strong at 11-and-a-half.

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What an absolutely vile person he sounds. I feel sorry for you being even loosely connected to him!

 

Ain't that the truth! :-(

 

Am thinking on the reporting him bit, anonymously. The rescue had had no contact from them and are going to do their own investigation.

 

 

 

And on a happy note hello to you stranger :flowers: :wave4: What have you been up too and how's all the fur family? I lost George on June 2011 but Archie is still going strong at 11-and-a-half.

 

Aww George! I am SO sorry. I remember him and gorgeous Archie well. Good to hear Archie is doing well. Aggie and Bert are still going strong. Also in double figures now. I lost my gorgeous Barney lab to cancer this Summer aged 8 after a nearly three year battle. He was made of strong stuff. Heartbreaking time. I lost unexpectedly a totally cherished rescue staffy that I'd had for 4 years at the same time due to a massive seizure/brain bleed. It was an horrific time. Darling Piggy/Cassie my old EBT went long ago at 13 + years old to old age but I think I was still on here at that time. Bug the cat is doing well but with my ex now. I got the dogs and he got the cat when we split nearly three years ago. Bug may well yet return to live with me at some point :-) Nice to see you all again x

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I'm so sorry for your losses :GroupHug: I remember you putting Bert's loose hair out in a bird feeder for them to build nests as you liked old Bert to have a purpose in life. That tickled me greatly!

 

Anyway it's nice to see you popping up here although not the circumstances. Don't be a stranger! We mostly post in the monthly chatter thread as there's just a few of us now but we still manage to keep the conversation going. Everyone still here are very supportive of each other :smile_anim:

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  • 5 weeks later...

What a horrible man and I would worry about what, who else, he might shoot given the right circumstances. I would like to see his licence revoked when it comes up for renewal.

 

The last pet we had to help over the bridge cost us almost £70 to be humanely put to sleep by a qualified vet. Could they not have done that if they considered it totally necessary. I would have thought that one snap in no way meant a death sentence. I am sitting here covered in bites and scratches from a new pup and I still love the very bones of him. He just needs to learn that we humans are fragile!!

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