For whatever reason stability is reduced enough people are going to be releasing dogs they don’t want or can’t take care of. Dogs can quickly revert back to natural instincts by forming packs complete with breeding pairs, alpha males/females, and they are very dangerous.
Where I grew up we all had 3-5 acre ranches, and if you looked at our property it was basically the last civilization on the eastern edge of the SoCal metropolis. This meant in the hills around us a lot of urban types would release dogs thinking they were going to go live a happy life out in the boonies.
We could shoot them on sight as there were no regulations aside from discharging a firearm within routine rules, and even then if stock was in danger or human life no one said anything. We had a couple calves when I was younger, pigs, and even some goats. My mom also raised rabbits (over 100 of them for shows and resale).
In the hills past our community wardens would routinely shoot cull out packs of wild dogs. They can be very aggressive, and if social conditions came about there are going to be lots of people releasing dogs even in urban areas. Many Iraq vets can attest to how feral dogs act. Lots of posts had to have feral dog ‘hunting’ because they were posing a threat or in some cases actually attacked soldiers on post. Off post Im sure some of us have seen them chewing on bodies.
Just something to keep an open mind about, and to keep in mind pets still have survival instincts. Domestication goes out the window when the owner is not present and the daily cans of Skippy are no longer on the menu. Urban or rural you will have to deal with lots of these types of situations.
Funny, a friend & I were just discussing this not a week ago.
When you look at how many households have dogs, it’s alarming. Even the poorest families have 1 or 5!
I personally don’t care for pets of any kind, but it seems nearly everyone has 1 or more dogs around my parts. Definitely food for thought sir, that’s a lot of hungry critters potentially on the loose & fighting for their share of the food?
This has been somewhat an issue that I have had to deal with from time to time in my location for years now and have seen a slow up-tick of these animals as of late. Sign of the times maybe? Anyway, I am just going to add this to the list of “justifications” to get suppressors for some of my weapons. A suppressed .22 would be worth its weight in gold for this application. (as well as others).
I currently live in a neighborhood that is surrounded by multiple dog families of the low income variety. I imagine they aren’t getting enough to eat as it is judging by the way they try to get at the mailman I really need to put away some cash for a .22 silancer, my state recently passed legal use of suppressors into law and the list of uses in a emergency situation coupled with the enjoyment I’m sure I’d get just using it for fun has grown to much.
When I was in Iraq we were out in a camp that was about the size of a football field in a small mountain range. We had packs of dogs (and some cougers (not the good kind)) that were always trying to get into our supplies. We had a shoot on site rule which helped in a few ways… it kept them out of our chow and we honed our “shooting a running target” skills. I actually got one right before it attacked my leg. Literally shot him in the head about a foot from my leg. He had already been hit and was pretty pissed.
I read a book quite a long time ago called “The Teams” about the first SEAL Teams to venture into Vietnam, and as Team 1 began their preparations to deploy, their CO had went to a local sporting goods store and purchased a bevy of crossbows for silent kills against sentries and animals of various sorts, however; upon returning to the Team with the newly acquired hardware he was informed from higher ups his team would not be allow to use them and that there were to turn them in and leave them behind. The reasoning was that they were deemed “too quite” and might not be fair to use… WTF!!!
I have been working on my proficiency with a 40lb fiberglass compound bow (50% LET-OFF) with home built wooden arrows. With this combination I can quietly hit COM on hostile four legged threats out to 25yds. Once I perfect my cutting tip design so that it is constant in weight and size my accuracy should increase another 10yds.
I have almost had to shoot a few dogs while on patrol. Some bitches can be mean.
In the lower 9th of ward of new orleans there were packs of wild dogs all over. Every now and then you would see a few kids on the roofs of cars while waiting for the bus. Somewhat amusing for those that arent on the roof.
Real big problem after katrina too.
Good call for bringing this up in a shtf situation.
No joke. I live in a neighborhood with alot of neglected pit bulls and other large dogs that people choose to own without the means or ability to properly care for such an animal. Having small children I keep a close raps on the animals and while id do my best to avoid drawing my weapon its definatly another reason to be armed with the intention of protecting my family and myself.
This reminds me about a house I went to installing a satellite dish and had to work with these mongrels in the back. These types of dogs will be released in a SHTF scenario.
I really need to put away some cash for a .22 silancer, my state recently passed legal use of suppressors into law and the list of uses in a emergency situation coupled with the enjoyment I’m sure I’d get just using it for fun has grown to much.
