ORIGINAL: buckwild41

I would never support anyone knownly killing another person's pet.However, I'mnot sure I agree with it being a crime to kill a dog either? It's a dog, nothing more.. You can kill a coyotewhich is in the same family and that's not considered cruelity. You can brandcattle and that's not considered cruelity either. I know some will shout "but it's a domestic animal", but so are many pigs and cows just before they are wacked in the head with an air hammer. But that's not cruelity either. SO back to the dogs. If the dog is roaming at large how long before it is considered feral? Besides, if I read the code correctly the owner or an agent for the owner of the dog can shoot it however noone else can.. How is that any less cruel? The act is the same just a different person pulling the trigger. What it boils down to is that the animal belongs to someone else. So it's really not a case of cruelity but more of a larceny of ones property. However, if someone's property is no longer under their control, abandon or at large is it still a larceny? I would say NO. Once property is abandon or left to run at large one can not reasonably expect the property to be returned in the same condition if returned at all? Therefore, if a dog by whatever means is running at large and happens upon the unfortunate circumstance of stepping into a legal trap on someone else's property and that person is unable to free the animal without killing it I would have to place the sole blame on the dog owner.

Today's electronic fences and collars are very effective and keeping pets where they are suppose to be.