Thinking about dogs. Considering people would likely become more dependent on their canine's ability to detect and bark at strangers/protection/hunting etc, if you did happen to shoot someone's dog you probably just made yourself a target. Having said that, I think its highly unlikely (in north america anyway) a scenario would develop where dogs, cats, horses, etc, become possible food sources. Not that it couldn't happen, but by the time things get that desperate you're talking serious world wide collapse and at that point you'd better already have long term food resources in place (growing wheat, potatoes, chickens) or you ain't gonna make it. I say that because resorting to dog meat for sustenance means things aren't going well and what little nourishment you get from that type lean/starving-dog meat isn't going to sustain you for long. Definitely not long enough to get your food crops up and running. Just some mind rambling.

The only alternative would be to buy a .22 that I could put in my BOB and start practicing! I've been trying to find out if the US Survival Rifle is legal in Canada. I suspect it's not because it's so easy to hide and has such a short barrel.

If you are in a widespread survival situation, so are all the fish and game wardens. So are all the animal rights activists. Where do you think this issue fits in with widespread looting for food and water? Do you think it will be 'business as usual' for these officials?