Ever drawn your weapon?

[Mad Scientist]

Never in public. Twice at home.

Once at oh-dark-thirty I had to protect the house from an unlatched screen door banging in the breeze. My son learned to fly that night when I picked him up bodily ant threw him back into his room.

The other time my daughter's idiot boyfriend came over. I didn't know he was coming, and he neither knocked nor said hi when he came in. He damn near took a round of buckshot to the face that evening.

[harold63]

FWIW, every time there is an unexpected knock on the door, a vehicle that stops at our home, or just any general abnormal noise, I draw one of my guns out of the holster or the holder it is in. One of my daughters even does it, now. Paraniod? Maybe, but it is a jacked up world we live in, now. If it is nothing, which it usually is, I just put the gun back. No big deal, but we are prepared just in case it is a big deal.

[CHEMICAL]

FWIW, every time there is an unexpected knock on the door, a vehicle that stops at our home, or just any general abnormal noise, I draw one of my guns out of the holster or the holder it is in. One of my daughters even does it, now. Paraniod? Maybe, but it is a jacked up world we live in, now. If it is nothing, which it usually is, I just put the gun back. No big deal, but we are prepared just in case it is a big deal.

I definitely have a gun in hand in these scenarios but it is also still holstered. All I have to do to unholster it is flick the holster with my index finger. yes, I have practiced these scenarios a lot.

[harold63]

All I have to do to unholster it is flick the holster with my index finger. yes, I have practiced these scenarios a lot.

It pays off. You never know when you might need to practice it, for real.

We've had a few unpleasants move in the neighborhood (don't know what the deal with that is), recently, and being woken in the middle of the night to "baby, grab your gun" is something I starting to get accustomed to.

[galvanni]

Almost did last month. On a dog that was not on a leash - mutt of some sort that looked like one of those fighting dogs came running right up to me full speed barking. Fortunately stopped right at my feet still barking its head off wildly. I backed away and finally it went off down the walking/biking trail.

Which brings to question. Dog without a leash, no owner in sight. Had the owner showed up - what would happen? Would I have been right to put down the dog? After all it could have been rabid in which case my life would have been in danger - correct?

In any case - I ordered bear spray to carry with me when I exercise now. Don't really want to put down a dog for the pure selfishness and stupidity of the dog owner - and this has happened to me plenty of times.

[harold63]

In any case - I ordered bear spray to carry with me when I exercise now. Don't really want to put down a dog for the pure selfishness and stupidity of the dog owner - and this has happened to me plenty of times.

Good idea on the bear spray. Works good on two legged bears, also. Shooting someone's dog is a touchy situation, here, and I wouldn't doubt it's the same there. We can't even shoot a dog with a BB gun in FL if it is in your yard, tearing up the garbage, or trying to impregnate your leg. If the dog bites and decides to get lock jaw, then it is game on.

[Deanimator]

Don't really want to put down a dog for the pure selfishness and stupidity of the dog owner - and this has happened to me plenty of times.

The owner's "selfishness and stupidity" impose on me no duty to be bitten.

In Ohio, an unrestrained threatening dog, on public property or the property of other than the owner can be shot. There's NO duty to incur risk of being bitten AT ALL. The owner is then liable both civilly and criminally for his failure to control his animal. If the owner attempts to use deadly force to abet the animal's attack, he's just another violent criminal and can legally be dealt with as any other criminal attacker would be.

The general rule in Ohio is, "If you don't want your dog to get shot, confine, restrain or train it such that it doesn't not present a threat to humans or livestock." You're not allowed to shoot a dog in order to protect another dog, but even then I'm aware of several instances where that happened and the owner of the dog being attacked was NOT prosecuted.

I'm always puzzled by people who think either that they have a right to let their dog run loose and threaten people, or that they have a duty to be harmed by a dangerous dog rather than to harm it.

[RandomTask]

I have never drawn my weapon, but I have photographed it many times.

[twency]

In Ohio, an unrestrained threatening dog, on public property or the property of other than the owner can be shot. ...
The general rule in Ohio is, "If you don't want your dog to get shot, confine, restrain or train it such that it doesn't not present a threat to humans or livestock." You're not allowed to shoot a dog in order to protect another dog, but even then I'm aware of several instances where that happened and the owner of the dog being attacked was NOT prosecuted. ...

Here in PA it is legal to shoot a dog which is "wounding or killing" another dog.

§ 459-501. Killing dogs; dogs as nuisances

(a) Legal to kill certain dogs.--Any person may kill any dog which he sees in the act of pursuing or wounding or killing any domestic animal, wounding or killing other dogs, cats or household pets, or pursuing, wounding or attacking human beings, whether or not such a dog bears the license tag required by the provisions of this act. There shall be no liability on such persons in damages or otherwise for such killing.

...

(c) Licensed dogs not included.--Licensed dogs, when accompanied by their owner or handler, shall not be included under the provisions of this section unless caught in the act of pursuing, wounding or killing any domestic animal, wounding or killing any dogs, cats or household pets, or pursuing, wounding or attacking human beings.

[Deanimator]

Here in PA it is legal to shoot a dog which is "wounding or killing" another dog.

It's nice to have in black letter law in Pennsylvania that which we achieve through consensus here.