LIVE TRAP

[J T]

Sun, Nov 6, 2005, 3:52am [e-mail] (Greg=A0G.) spoketh so: Funny you should mention that, and stupid that I didn't think of it, but when I worked as a mechanic (many years ago), ball bearing guns were... well... sort of a sport around some shops. Various designs like the one you mention were occasionally seen. Then again, I don't think I could have grabbed all the paraphernalia needed and got it hooked up in time to rescue anyone...

True, you'd have to have a compress air tank to be reasonably mobile with one. For some reason, I was thinking of having the compressor inside, and already hooked up.

Forgot to mention before, I'd start documenting this on video, before taking any direct action. But, I wouldn't put that off to talk to the neighbors first. I'd start with that first, then talk to them. It's hard to do much with "his word against your word". But, if you get that far, it's very hard to dispute taped proof. Unless you opt to move

- if it was me, I'd probably consider that - you've pretty much got to get along with your neighbors. That doesn't necessarily mean talk to them, and be buddies - I don't talk to any of my neighbors, unless we see each other in the store or something, but we at least wave when we see each other. So, I'd try to keep it friendly, if possible, and keep the tape in reserve. I do not think I'd want to show it to any of the neighbors. I think I'd keep it, and if absolutely necessary, turn it over to proper authorities, and let them show it, if things get that far, and need be. I'd start low level, and work up, maybe eventually getting with some of the city and/or county officials.

A viable option might be an electric fence around your garbage cans. We got a dog level electric fence, but it didn't work welll. So, we looked more, and found one rated at pets for the bottom level, up to cattle. Works like a charm. If you don't believe that, you're welcome to come up and grab outs. LOL Or, the BB gun option. Mine is a Powerline, Model 15XT, C02 BB, by Daisy - 15 shot, semi-auto. Got mine at Wally World, for around $30-35 if I recall right. It'll sting a dog, but not "hurt" them. I wouldn't want to do anything to wound a dog, so my next level up would be lethal. But, my first step would definitely be to immediately start documenting this stuff on tape, no matter what my next step would be.

JOAT If it ain't broke, don't lend it.

- Red Green

[J T]

Sun, Nov 6, 2005, 4:07am [e-mail] (Greg=A0G.) doth said: Didn't have much choice. I was there That's a pretty good idea, But it has to be really bright yellow...

Yep, man on the spot, no one can make the call but him. Can't argue with that.

I'm not up on that stuff, but seems to me they have some in florescent yellow. If you go that route, mention my name. LMAO

JOAT If it ain't broke, don't lend it.

- Red Green

[J T]

Sun, Nov 6, 2005, 8:06am (EST-2) n7ws*@*yahoo.com (Wes=A0Stewart) hath claimed: When we lived in the suburbs (walking distance to a major mall) we had a skunk problem. =A0 They would come onto the patio and mingle with our cats as they enjoyed the cat food.

Oh, I don't know. As long as they weren't spraying anyone, no major problem. After all, you could have fed the cats inside. But, they would probably have gotten used to you, and wouldn't be aggressive toward you. As a plus, they might well spray anyone prowling around that they weren't used to, like burglars - watch skunks.

JOAT If it ain't broke, don't lend it.

- Red Green

[J T]

Sun, Nov 6, 2005, 8:18am (EST-2) n7ws*@*yahoo.com (Wes=A0Stewart) has posted: From the Arizona Daily Star Archives. "Dog shot; man faces felonies October 18, 2005 =95=95 259 words =95=95 ID: MERLIN_3338203 A

50-year-old security guard faces felony charges in the fatal shooting of a dog Monday morning in a Midtown neighborhood, authorities said. The shooting occurred as the dog's owner tried to corral the animal, which had escaped by digging under a fence, said Sgt. Ramon Batista, a Tucson Police Department spokesman. The owner, whose name was not released, was not injured, but police said the dog was struck by one of three bullets discharged from a handgun...." See the problem here is the other two bullets.

Unless the shooter, or someone else, was actively being attacked by the dog, which was apparently not the case, there would appear to be no reason to shoot - except for stupidity. Lots of that going around.

JOAT If it ain't broke, don't lend it.

- Red Green

[Wes Stewart]

Here, skunks are a major rabies carrier. That is the main reason Animal Control would trap (and dispatch) them. I started trapping myself after I called them once in December and the guy, who obviously didn't want to do his job, told me, "Rabies isn't a problem in the winter. But if they're mingling with your cats and we come out, we will quarantine your cats unless they've had rabies shots."

When I talked to my vet to get history of their last shots and report him this conversation he said, "What an asshole, rabies isn't a seasonal disease."

My then three-year-old son went through two weeks of rabies shots after he was bitten by a dog, that I had just adopted, from all places, Animal Control. It seems the bozos don't quarantine adoptable dogs long enough to verify they're rabies free. Trust me, it is no fun.

[Morris Dovey]

| Well, I happen to be a dog lover. And, think you did exactly | the right thing. I also think you are either a fantastic shot, or | very lucky, hitting a running dog. Ah yes, the anti-gun folks - | those are the ones who expect you to call the police, and have them | "protect" you and yours. It almost makes one wish they would find | themselves in a similar position, except with no firearm handy. I | live out in the country, and "fast" response would take around 15 | minutes to reach me, minimum, from the time of the 911 call - that | is, IF I had time to place one. Let's see, 15 minutes - that means | whoever has 5 minutes to beat me to death, 5 minutes to ransack my | place, looking for valluables I don't own, and then 5 minutes to | walk away. Hmm, walking pace of 5 miles per hour, he could | probably be around 1/2 mile away - on foot. That does not compute.

Thanks. I am (was, I haven't fired a shot in over twenty years) a fairly good shot. Was on match rifle team all through high school, used up all the ammo Uncle Sam provided, and enjoyed hunting until I bought a home in Minnesota with its own patch of woods - when I began doing most of my shooting with a camera. The rifle was a Colt Sporter-1 (M16 sans third selector switch position) with a 3-9X Bushnell. The .223 trajectory is so flat that it seems nearly line-of-sight, which makes missing almost difficult. I remember that "time warp" feeling in which the world seemed to slow to a crawl while I took slow and deliberate aim (probably between heartbeats) and gently squeezed off the shot.

My Minnesota home was similarly "remote" to fire and police services. Police and fire folks took a half hour or more to show up - and the closest animal control folks were on the far side of the county.

My son was a bit frightened but not hurt. Things happened so quickly that he didn't realize what was going on until it was all over - but then he was hustled into the house for milk and cookies before he had much chance to think abut it.

Hugs and home made toll house cookies have the remarkable property of restoring kids' emotional equilibrium almost instantly. :-)

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

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