How would you get rid of a stray dog?

[Melissa B]

We have a stray dog that has taken up residence in our garage.

He appears to be deaf and aggressive (and looks to be part pit bull.)

I called the sheriffs department as we have no animal control in our county.
They said if the dog is aggressive they can come out and shoot it or we can shoot it ourselves. Other than that they have no advice.

Our county has no animal shelters. I hate to shoot the dog but I can't have him in our yard with my kids playing outside all of the time.

I really don't know what to do with him! :(

[sleepy]

Could you call a local vet? They might be willing to come out and put him down humanely.
If he's deaf and agressive, that sounds dangerous to me. I wouldn't want him around my kids either.
What a sad situation.

[Stirsmommy]

Are there any animal rescue groups in your area? You might try calling them for help.
Melissa

[Peek a Boo]

call the sheriff.

If he's really aggressive, call them *tonight*.

The magic words to get law enforcement to MOVE are "I am in fear for my life."

You don't know if this dog might be suffering from early signs of rabies. That is NOT a fun series of shots for your kids. Get it OFF your property ASAP. And keep your family inside the house.

[Volty]

LOL at all the nicey nice, touchy feely women around here. You don't want to adopt it and you don't have an animal control center to take it away...

Click Click (aim) BANG!

[Kris]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it. Even if you get him to move along to someone else's house, he could hurt someone there. Taking him to a vet to have him put down would be preferable, but if he's aggressive, I don't want to get hurt trying to round him up. And if he *is* aggressive, he needs to go.

I'm an animal lover and we have all kinds of critters here and take in strays all the time. But if they can't get along, they're out -- one way or another.

[Melissa B]

Thanks for the advice!

I am going to call the closest vet in the morning. I'm doubtful, but at least I will feel like I have done everything I can. I'm really not all that sentimental, but the kids are devistated.

If the vet doesn't do anything or have any suggestions, we will just have to shoot him and be done with it.

I am not looking forward to tomorrow. :(

(I should have said earlier, we live way, way out. There aren't any other kids for three or four miles. If we had neighbors, especially ones with children, I would have taken a more aggressive stance from the beginning.)

[Volty]

I should have said earlier, we live way, way out.

It's nice to know that there are still parts of Forida that are "way way out." Is that up in the panhandle? My sterotype of Florida living is neverending subdivisions pushed deep into reclaimed wetlands. Hopefully it takes a while before they get to you. ;)

[Melissa B]

It's nice to know that there are still parts of Forida that are "way way out." Is that up in the panhandle? My sterotype of Florida living is neverending subdivisions pushed deep into reclaimed wetlands. Hopefully it takes a while before they get to you. ;)


We had to leave Fort Myers for that very reason. :)

Now we live in west-central Florida, about an hour west of Gainesville. The county only has about 7,000 people total. Luckily, most of the land in the county is owned by a few farming families. If they ever sell out, I'm sure the subdivisions will begin to move in!

[Karin]

Honestly, if it's that aggressive, I'd say shoot it if you have no animal control. I love animals, but not when they are dangerous. Yes, this is my conservative side showing (but I'm into saving the whales, too, which is my liberal side--I'm a mass of contradictions, I suppose.) If you have a pellet gun handy, perhaps that might work, unless it's a mad dog.

[Janet in WA]

If the vet doesn't do anything or have any suggestions, we will just have to shoot him and be done with it. Oh my goodness. I'd have to let the sheriff shoot it. We wouldn't have anything to use to shoot it ourselves, and I don't think we'd have the gumption to do it if we did. I guess we could poison it (is there a humane way to poison a dog?)