What Are Your Opinions On This?

[Lady's Human]

We still don't "know" that penny wasn't harassing livestock. We have the newspaper articles saying she was, and you saying she wasn't.

If she was harassing livestock, and had done so in the past, legally he did have the right to shoot the dog.

As to the some people/most people issue, popular opinion does not make something legal or correct. If everything hinged on the opinion of "most people" we'd be left with mob rule.

[LilacDragon]

There are some people who will not see it like MOST PEOPLE. I loved Penny and I honestly was doing the very best that I could.

But see - we DO see it like most people. It is your option to learn how to be a responsible dog owner.

[jackie]

Pennysowner,

You had my full sympathy until you came on here and started acting irate and childish. I am terrible sorry about your dog, but ultimately YOU need to take some responsibility in her death, RIP Penny.

[K9soul]

I think the man who shot Penny SOUNDS like a drunken, heartless human being, but I have only read the articles and things said here. I certainly believe he should not have shot poor Penny. Better he had called Animal Control and reported the situation, I am not sure if he had done so in the past. No one here believes Penny deserved to lose her life, I promise you that. People are upset because this was preventable. I just adopted a new puppy myself and she is completely and totally my responsibility. There is a leash law here and if she went wandering off and someone hurt her, it would ultimately be my fault. It is the same when a dog wanders out of the yard and ends up hit by a car, ultimately it is the responsibility of the dog's owner to keep their pet safe.

I know you must feel horrible, and that it has to be difficult to read some of these things, but it ultimately it would be best to just understand that responsibility to Penny was neglected in this, and thus prevent anything like it from ever happening again.

I personally have had times when I was careless, i.e. I open the front door and one of my dogs shot out. I didn't take care to make sure I was paying attention and keep it from happening. It was an accident but if something had happened, it still ultimately would have been my fault. My dogs are very good about staying in the yard so it was no big deal, BUT there is always a risk.

People here are very deeply animal lovers, and they are extremely saddened and upset to learn what happened to Penny, but we see that it was preventable too, thus the opinions expressed here. If my dog had gotten hurt or killed when he ran out the door, no matter if it was an accident, no matter if I had been sick or tired and thus not paying as much attention, it would still be my fault. That would be the hardest thing in the world to face, but it would be undeniable.

My deepest sympathies in your loss.

[areias]

Aaand all her threads are gone.

[elizabethann]

I saw you on Channel 7 the other night along with your puppy. I also noticed the fence you got still wasn't up. I was thinking the best Christmas present you could give your kids, is to put the fence up.

I'm curious as to how you found this board. Did you just do a google search on killed dog in NH or did someone tell you about it?

[Lady's Human]

Given where this occurred in NH, they probably do not have a full time paid animal control officer. I live in an area which doesn't have a full time ACO, and when calling about a nuisance animal there's not much response unless you think it is a rabid animal or a deer with CWD.