So, my son's dog is a mut.  Very cute.  Just over a year old.  Very vriendly.

We live on an acreage, with only 2 neighbors.  One is, well, rather unpleasant.  We knew that the dog went over to their place.  Their dog comes onto our place. 

It turns out that Saturday he shot the dog.  The dog came home on 3 legs.  The fourth swayed like the bone had been completely severed.  There was no blood.  We didn't know it had been shot, though.  I was sure that it had been that neighbor, and had warned my son a few weeks ago that I thought the neighbor had bad intentions toward the dog.  So there was a forewarning of sorts.

We called the vet.  The vet said to give it asprin until Monday, when she could see it.

My 18 year old son is broke, being a college student.  (2-1/2 year student)

I had told him, having had a trap line and hunted, that I was very certain that the leg couldn't be saved.  Therefore, he needed to decide what the dog was worth to himself, and as a dog, was it worth spending about $800 if it needed to be amputated, or if not, only a few hundred.  Or, just put it down, because $200 was too much to spend on a mutt.  He needed to decide beforehand, as when he got to the vet on Monday, today, he'd be emotional and needed to have a number decided on first, or, no number at all: fix the dog at all costs.  Bearing in mind that the economy was poor, he is a student, and there's better things to do with God's money than that, I thought.  So he thought about it for the weekend, and took the dog in.

Today he found out the facts from the vet.

The x-ray showed a shattered bone, with lead pieces still in there.  Also, the vet found an entrance and exit wound.

The vet says it's put the dog down, or amputate.  Cost of amputation: $800+.

His 16 year old sister offers to loan the money to him.

What would you do, and why?

If he shot the dog then maybe you could sue him for the costs. If it were my dog I would do all that I could to save that dog, Poor little thing is only  a year old and not responsible for its injuries. They can manage really well on three legs. I am also amazed that the vets told you to give a shot dog with a shattered leg an aspirin and wait till monday????Incredible.Id like to see him have that injury with just an aspirin.Here in the uK we have vets on call all the time. Dont you have emergency vets there?

If he were my son and he couldnt pay it, I would pay for it myself. Whether it is Gods money or not isnt the issue, Why would God want a shot dog to be killed if it could be avoided?.
If you REALLY cannot afford it (if you are in poverty) then ring one of the rescue societies, You may have to sign the dog over to them but at least that is better that killng it. I also think you need to tell the police. People cant go round shooting other peoples pets for no reason. He is a danger.

 Your daughter sounds like a very caring person,. Listen to her.
 I know that my children would spend whatever it took to save a dog if it belonged to them.

In most places in the USA, if a cat or dog comes on your property in the country (outside city limits) you can shoot them.  I live well outside a town and I was warned that some of my neighbors may shoot dogs that come on their property that they don't know.

I don't have any advice for you.  Dogs are like kids in my house, and I would be beyond angry.

My wife and I don't have the money.  Period.

Funny thing is, some of my kids do!  Go figure.

Anyhow, they decided to have the leg amputated and save the pet.

That was this afternoon.

Got a call from the vet this evening.  The dog went through the surgery just fine.  But afterward it had a clot and a stroke and didn't make it.  So, $800 + in vet bill for my kids, and no dog to show for it.  Bummer.

Yeah, it's a good teaching situation.

By law, he had every right to shoot it.  I agree with what he did.  I find it unacceptable to have other's dogs at my place, and told my son that he needed to contain his dog, or posibly lose it.

So it's a good lesson for the kids.  They understand this.  They don't have a problem with him shooting it. 

So I asked them, because this is a neighbor from hell, so-to-speak, (shooting dog is tip of iceberg), how do we bless him?  How do we love him in Christ?  This isn't the first time for bringing this up with the kids.  And I always tie it into what Christ did for us, when we were deserving of what we should receive, but He wasn't.  Freely we have received.  And we freely give.

So we've had good lessons and practical things to live out for the kids to see and learn.

Life is great.


Personally, I really don't like dogs.  I had a skunk, gophers, crows, magpies, a fox, a red-tailed hawk, rabbits, rodents, pirahnas, sharks, eels, etc..  Nowdays, half of what I had for pets is illegal.  O well.

But then, of course you, have absolutely no evidence and certainly no proof that it was the neighbor who shot the dog.  I am sure any law suit would be dismissed if you could even get a lawyer to file it.

Boy am I glad that I live in a country where people dont go round shooting other peoples pets. If they did (which is unlikely as hardly anyone has guns) they would be in real trouble with both the police (for having a gun) and with the RSPCA for cruelty to animals.
Poor little guy, its  a cruel world.

"'You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. And if your brother is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall remain with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall restore it to him.'" (Deuteronomy 22:1-2)

I see a principle in this, that God wants us to help a neighbor to get back a stray animal that may be on our property. I'd say, for a law there is the rightful meaning, not intended just to be used with a literal selfish interpretation.

But people of this world are not going to do what is right. Law can not make people love. So, that is good, how you are using even wrong things for God's purpose that we find out how to love. Even good laws are wasted by this world's people, but we can even use what is wrong for what is good.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

"'But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.' And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:20-21) This is how Joseph handled his brothers after they had sold him into slavery, and even fooled their own father into thinking Joseph had been torn apart by a wild animal. Genesis 37-50.

   IN the l940s there were packs of wild dogs preying on livestock , often killing more than they could eat.
   The ranchers all carried rifles and shot on sight any dog they couldn't identify.  It  was in Kit Carson county
Colorado.  I suppose other counties as well.  The ranchers had to do it. the livestock was their livelihood.