Killing wild animals to "protect" your pets?

[Pam]

I wouldn't even know how to go about killing a copperhead but if I did I wouldn't hesitate. Anything poisonous in striking range of my dogs would be history.

[Lady's Human]

Having had a lot of experience with snakes, and the Army's attempts to control them peacefully, I would have killed the copperhead. Anyhting dangerous to my kids, pets or Jen and I would have to be dealt with.

We have Coyotes around here, and we leave them alone as long as they leave us alone. If they come in too close there's no choice. You guys don't even want to know what the local animal control officer's answer would be to a call about a 'yote.

[critter crazy]

Having had a lot of experience with snakes, and the Army's attempts to control them peacefully, I would have killed the copperhead. Anyhting dangerous to my kids, pets or Jen and I would have to be dealt with.

We have Coyotes around here, and we leave them alone as long as they leave us alone. If they come in too close there's no choice. You guys don't even want to know what the local animal control officer's answer would be to a call about a 'yote.

I hear you about the coyotes!! we have lots here as well! we have to keep our eye on them,and if they get too brave and come too close they are history!! You should see wht a coyote will do to a new born foal! not to mention dogs, cats, chickens!!

[CagneyDog]

We have a bad coyote problem around here. I would NEVER kill a coyote if it wasn't harming myself or my dog. They are amazing creatures and have every right to live. In the end, it's us that are invading their territory so what do we have to punish them for? For many animal attacks people are to blame (not neccesarily with snakes, but coyotes etc) because they become WAY to tame. It's never the right answer to punish the animal.

[Flatcoatluver]

I have a phobia about snakes. I can't even look at pictures without crying. They scare me so much. So I really can't say what I would have done.

[Lori Jordan]

In all Honesty i think i would of put my dogs in the house and called the right people to come and deal with it,People who know how to handle snakes,No i would not kill it How could you im not a snake person nor do i like reptiles and stuff like that,but i would never take ones life that is not fair!!!!!!They were not put on this earth to be tortured either!!

[CathyBogart]

In the neighborhood I grew up in there was a coyote killing outdoor cats for awhile. Even though it had killed the cats, the residents still pitched a FIT when the authorities wanted to put out leghold traps, saying that they were cruel. (not to mention what else might get caught in them!!!) As far as I know they eventually humanely trapped it and relocated it.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I wouldn't have killed it either. I'm careful because I've seen rattlesnakes around here before (though never actually in my yard). The only thing I've seen in my yard is a black racer who has lived in our bushes longer than we've lived in our house. We first saw the racer just after we moved in and 5 years later we still see him quite regularly (Justin saw him 2 days ago).


One time when I was little I was outside in my yard and there was a raccoon running around like crazy, right near me. I went inside and told my mom. My dad wasn't home, but my uncle lived just down the road and my mom called him. My uncle feared he was rabid and came over with his shot gun. After seeing how the raccoon was acting (and in the middle of the day nonetheless) my uncle decided the best thing to do was to kill him. I would have never been able to kill him, though I think my uncle made the right decision for everyone (raccoon included) at that time.