Guidance regarding dog attacks

[texas yankee]

Hi - we've had several incidents in our Senior community where loose dogs attacked and killed other dogs that were being walked on a leash. In one case, the dog owner walking their dog was seriously bitten. There have been lots of other situations with "don't worry, he doesn't bite" dogs that come running out, unrestrained, from a yard, and the dog owner with the dog on the leash (or grandkids walking along with them) has had to try and defend themselves, their grandkids, and their dog.

I'm concerned about being attacked while out riding my bike - I'm healthy, but not quick enough or limber enough to go hands-on with an aggressive dog.

I've had a LTC for a number of years now - I've always had the LTC insurance from [Pre-paid legal service] - I've always carried pepper spray, and now I've started carrying my weapon (G 42) while I'm out bike riding or walking.

Can someone point me to the Texas specifics about using force and deadly force to defend one's self from a dangerous animal ? Thanks in advance for any guidance?

[texas yankee]

Thanks very much - thanks especially for the comments !!

[Ruark]

I've often wondered about this as well. I appreciate the cites above, but your additions in red are your own interpretations and embellishments, and don't carry the weight of law. The next cite shows weirdness in the code: it only applies to dogs attacking animals or livestock. People aren't mentioned!

So you're taking a walk through the neighborhood. Somebody's mutt comes tearing towards you, growling, teeth bared. How would the law react to your pulling out your weapon and blowing its head off? What if it was a Chihuahua? What if it was a 150 lb. Rottweiler? The laws on this are way, way too insufficient.

[rotor]

This has been covered extensively in another post and I know the search engine here leaves a lot to be desired but here is the link.
http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic. ... it=sjambok

Technically you have more legal protection if the attacking dog is attacking your dog or livestock. Ask Gov Perry. As far as chijuajas, in my experience they are more likely to ankle bite you then anything and they usually run in pairs. Seriously though, if you shoot a dog you will probably be facing a difficult legal time and may want to consider a non-lethal method. When I walk my dogs I take a sjambok with me and I also carry it in snake country. When I was young I was a meter reader and got very experienced in non-lethal treatment of dogs. The problem is when there is more than one. As a dog lover I would rather pepper spray than shoot unless it was a last resort. Sjambok can really stop a dog in it's tracks. MidwayUSA sells them.

[twomillenium]

This has been covered extensively in another post and I know the search engine here leaves a lot to be desired but here is the link.
http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic. ... it=sjambok

Technically you have more legal protection if the attacking dog is attacking your dog or livestock. Ask Gov Perry. As far as chijuajas, in my experience they are more likely to ankle bite you then anything and they usually run in pairs. Seriously though, if you shoot a dog you will probably be facing a difficult legal time and may want to consider a non-lethal method. When I walk my dogs I take a sjambok with me and I also carry it in snake country. When I was young I was a meter reader and got very experienced in non-lethal treatment of dogs. The problem is when there is more than one. As a dog lover I would rather pepper spray than shoot unless it was a last resort. Sjambok can really stop a dog in it's tracks. MidwayUSA sells them.

I too, use a sjambok, (synthetic) at times! I also carry pepper spray, animals tend to understand pepper spray. Pepper spray will help detour a domestic animal attack, if it were a wild animal or a larger vicious dog that wants to return for more after being pepper sprayed, I would not hesitate using my pistol for protection.

Owner: "He won't bite"
Me: "Then tell him I do"

[texas yankee]

I don't think I'd be comfortable using the sjambok - looks like I'd have to get closer than I'd want to, and I have some rotator cuff issues in my right shoulder (I'm right handed), and certain types of motion cause a lot of pain in my shoulder and upper arm - I ordered some bear spray with a 30' range - it's advertised as putting out a shotgun pattern. I'm also going to have a chat with one or two of the officers from my local PD to get their take on how they'd approach a citizen defending himself from a dangerous aggressive dog.

[Abraham]

Sjamboks are very impressive.

I just finished watching a couple of demonstration videos.

I'm buying one.

[EastTexasRancher]

This is one of the reasons I always carry when walking my dog.

We actually had an incident in our neighborhood where two dogs with "prior convictions" (i.e. documented attacks) got out and killed a dog in a yard, and seriously injured the other. The dogs that attacked were euthanized, and the owner was forced to pay restitution to the owner of the dogs.

I'd not hesitate to stop a threat from another dog. My dog is my family. There are times I've often thought I'd keep her and trade in the wife if it came down to it......

[texas yankee]

FWIW, one of the guys in our neighborhood near where the dog attack happened, passed along the following information:

Worked a few years with a sheriffs dept
Large dogs don't just drop i've seen large dogs take multiple body cavity hits and keep coming. Had one take a 3 rd burst and kept coming that and Once a pit bites down it might not release even when dead
Large cloud of pepper spray seems to take the fight right out of them
As non LE pepper spray is not concentrated enough I recommend bear spray

[striker55]

I ride a bicycle every day, a neighbor 2 house's down have 3 pitbulls. One morning I came out of my garage and the dog's were loose. One looked right at me and started charging at me, I put my fat tire bike in front of me and pulled my weapon. Pointed it at him and shouted "go home". He stopped and barked at me then went back to his driveway. I went back in my house and called 911, deputy sheriff arrived. When he got out of his car the dog ran towards the deputy, deputy took out his baton and kept the dog away by swinging it. Only after pulling his flashlight and shining it in the dogs eyes did the dog retreat. The deputy had me call animal control. The owner was home but must have been sleeping. After the deputy woke the owner by sounding his siren the dogs were put inside. Animal control came and issued a warning. The deputy said I had the right to shoot the dog since he was threatening me on my property. I see a lot of people walking big dogs around my neighborhood and most are respectful.