I worked in a Medical Center for 30 years and have seen many many dog bites. Even very small dogs can do a lot of damage. A slashing and tearing bite to the ankle, a very complex joint, can result in life long incapacitation. In most cases, the owner, (who frequently accompanies the victim) keeps saying, “he has never done that before” or “I never expected my dog to bite”. Larger dogs create devastating wounds. Dogs with massive jaw muscles like pit bulls, are capable of crushing bones. I have seen the lethal wounds from a large dog where he bit through the skull of a child.

Given that, here is a story with a question.

Gloria and I were walking along a pond, deep in the Maine woods. A Doberman came running over a small hill about 50 feet away barking and growling. He stopped about 20 feet from me and lowered his head. His ears were laid back and he began to growl. Apparently he did not see Gloria. Gloria recognized the dog as that of a neighbor and yelled "Apollo, shut-up". The dog instantly turned into a "family pet". Total elapsed time, less than 10 seconds.

Had Gloria not been with me, I wonder what would have happened. How long should I wait until I shoot the dog. Should I wait until he begins to attack, at which time I would have to hit a very fast moving dog as he weaved through the underbrush. Perhaps I should have shot him when he first appeared, as he bounded over the hill barking and snarling. I do not speak dog language. I do not know when he is bluffing or if he is beginning a real attack.

This is not about the owner or dogs running loose in the woods. It is about how I, should act when I encounter this situation. From my experience in the Emergency Room, I believe that dog could easily inflict very serious or even lethal wounds. It seems wrong to kill every dog I see running wild, but where do you draw the line (and draw the gun)?

So the question is, how would you react? What are the implications of killing a dog in this sort of situation? If you are a dog owner, and you let your dog run loose, how would you react if I shot your dog?