Drake was shot!

[My2Girls]

I am so sorry this happened to Drake but glad he’s OK.

Speaking of pellet guns and irresponsible parents. 3 weeks ago a 2nd grader in our school district brought an airsoft bebe gun to school in his backpack. Police were called but because of his age and because it was unloaded it was a school issue. I was shocked but here in the great big state of TX it’s boys being boys.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

Once I got over the initial shock I would have gone to their house and asked if they have a phone on them. I would then explain that I am going to make it worth their while to call 911, because they are getting ready to tote a serious ass whipping before the police arrive!
By the time the police arrive it will be a done deal.
Harming my dobermans or any of my animals will have me coming unglued.
That will create a rage in me unlike anything else. Those that know me can attest to this.

Irresponsible parenting allows this to go unpunished.
My parents would have blistered our asses at the jail in front of the police and then made us stay there to teach us a lesson.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

So glad Drake is okay! I was gonna say (when I still thought it was accidental) that it was unfortunate and irresponsible but don't go overboard. (Well I probably wasn't going to actually tell you that). But it would be quite a long shot (pardon the pun) for an animal to get hit accidentally.

Years ago in MN, my friend's GSD got intentionally shot. I think with a .22. My friend did go over and beat the two young men up. For a 6'2" and only 140 lb. guy, my friend was not someone you wanted to get into a fight with. Surprisingly, he did not get in trouble for that, despite the cops did get involved. I forgot which party called the cops.

Again, glad Drake is okay.

If these kids intentionally did it, there does need to be consequence. To shoot a dog for fun is serious and might lead to other behavior in the young people's future.

 

[GennyB]

If these kids intentionally did it, there does need to be consequence.

I think intentional or not, both parents and kids need to have a consequence. I have thought about this a 1000 different ways. Bottom line the kids should have NEVER been allowed to touch that gun without responsible adult supervision.

We have talked to everybody we can think of about this.
I have a copy of the vet notes from the visit, the bill of course. The police report will not be available until tomorrow so I'll have that hot off the presses.
I just keep thinking about the kids that go into schools shooting the place up. Every time it comes out there were situations similar to this where the kids were involved in bizarre behavior and little was done. I can't let it go. There is no hand shake and it's okay because Drake is going to be alright. What if the next time it doesn't end like this? Shooting animals, people or anything without just cause is just not okay. I don't feel like these people understand that so I'm going to help them.

 

[Archer]

Oh my god!! I’m glad he is ok!! In my state dogs are property and you bet your arse I would be pressing charges! There is also no excuse for kids that age to be unsupervised with guns in the house, no matter the type!!

How is Mr Drake today?

 

[Gelcoater]

Ohhhhh I’d be pissed.

 

[MyBuddy]

Oh, man, I'm just reading about this this morning! Poor Drake! I can't imagine going through this ! I know I would be livid! I agree with the others, that this could have caused a lot more damage. What if it was an eye? And after reading everything, I'm tending to believe it was intentional too. Which makes it all the worse. Why would they do that? There has to be some consequence. I would bet that if you are able to look into their background, there has been other incidences like this. And if that was true, these kids are heading for trouble. Bigger trouble. It just makes me ill picturing what that situation caused you and your family. I'm sure it was an emotional rollercoaster. I hope Drake is feeling well today. And I'm so glad it wasn't worse than it was.

 

[GennyB]

In my state dogs are property and you bet your arse I would be pressing charges!

The way I understand the law here is in order to shoot a dog you have to show evidence that a person was in imminent harmful contact by the dog. There is also something about showing proof that a farm animals was in the act of being killed by the dog.
None of that applies here. So yes, we are taking this as far as we can.

There is also no excuse for kids that age to be unsupervised with guns in the house, no matter the type!!

I agree! I haven't checked the laws on this yet. We do have an appointment with out attorney today so that question will be asked. Certainly the parents have some responsibility for letting the kids have access.

How is Mr Drake today?

He seems okay. I do have something for pain but I am reluctant to give it under the circumstances.Dr. Marshall concurs with that. He does seem sore but not in any real pain. I think certain movement tug on the wound. The big problem is Rumor. She wants to lick it. So the dogs are separated for now.


I guess I should add here that I was not happy with the vet we saw at the ER. First the guy seemed about half afraid of Drake. Drake never showed any type of aggression, even when the guy tried to look at his wound. He gave me a real uneasy feeling. He didn't even want to call his cardiologist. I know for a fact, she wants to be called when one of her patients comes in the ER.
I have always been very satisfied with the care we have gotten there. This was unusual and disappointing.

Ohhhhh I’d be pissed.

I was beyond pissed. Took everything I had to contain myself. Had to keep reminding myself that going over there and knocking some heads together would not fix this. It would only serve to make me like them.

 

[GennyB]

What if it was an eye?

I couldn't really tell just how bad it was. It was bleeding pretty bad. I kept thinking what if it's his heart? What happens if he has to have surgery? Can his heart take that? All I could think is get him to the vet! Then I had a bad experience with the vet. Could it be that I was just an emotional mess? It could. That's the only reason I haven't complained about the experience.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

I'd sue them in civil court as well as police action....this really pisses me off...make them pay all the bills.

 

[Trigger LockedLoaded]

This is crazy. When our pets do wrong we discipline them so that they learn not to do it again right ? I think you guys should pursue legal action. Maybe it won't go to far beyond the kids parents paying the Vet bill's but it will put a fear in the kids to think thing thru. That right there is a very valuable life lesson. Kids that only receive a slap on the wrist will continue to try and get away with behavior like thisn What's next throwing rocks off an overpass and potentially killing some one ? I hope these kids learn from their stupid choice. I'm glad your baby was not injured worse.

 

[Max Hawk]

Ever feel like you wish you could go back to bed and just start over? Well yesterday was one of those days for me. It started out pretty rough from the get go. It's been crazy busy for us. Easter just sort of snuck up on me. It wasn't until sometime Saturday afternoon that I realized it was the next day and I had 14 people coming for dinner. A whole new definition of panic mode for me.
Sunday afternoon I'm feeling pretty confident I'm going to pull this off when guest start arriving. My boys took the dogs out for some Chuck it time to help with the energy level.
My youngest son comes running in the house saying "Mom come quick! Somebody shot Drake!" I didn't take him serious because it was April Fools after all. I had been on guard all day because my kids are quite the pranksters. They can usually get me at some point every year.
I was determined not this year! Everyone was in shock that I didn't panic.
My other son walks in carrying Drake and yes there was some blood on him. I'm still not taking this seriously. Hubby saw this was real before I did. Me? I'm thinking hubby is in on the prank and am now getting mad they used something so near and dear to me to try to get me.
It was true, Drake had been shot! Turns out some neighbor kids were allowed to play in the backyard with a pellet gun. Who does that?
Drake and I rush off to the vet and hubby tries talking to the parents. He ended up calling the police because he was not satisfied with the 'Sorry, it was an accident' response.
Turns out the kids were far enough away that the pellet hit Drake in the rib and just broke the skin, no serious damage! The vet cleaned it up and took xrays to make sure his rib wasn't broken. It was decided it was best to just let it granulate in. Gave us some spray to help that process. I'm just so grateful! This could have been so much worse.
The worse part of this was the cop we had in the beginning. She actually said to my husband
"Are you sure you want to pursue this? These kids could be in a lot of trouble." Hubby said that is exactly why we want to pursue it. The kids and parents need to learn a lesson. He dismissed her and asked for another officer. He will be calling this morning to talk to the chief and even the mayor if necessary.
In the end it all turned out. Dinner was a little weak, but hey, we ate. Best news is Drake will be fine.

This post when I saw that cation brought instant tears! I'm so glad it was all okay but wow, that is just so scary..I always have it in the back of my mind out here..a lot of people do shoot all around us including us but the boys are out running on our acreage within the fencing but free to run the entire place..so when I hear shots I always bring them back into the yard..It does worry me. There has been people around who would shoot a dog on purpose so it's good to be cautious.

 

[GennyB]

This post when I saw that cation brought instant tears! I'm so glad it was all okay but wow, that is just so scary..I always have it in the back of my mind out here..a lot of people do shoot all around us including us but the boys are out running on our acreage within the fencing but free to run the entire place..so when I hear shots I always bring them back into the yard..It does worry me. There has been people around who would shoot a dog on purpose so it's good to be cautious.

It's a real fear of mine when we go to the farm. We are always cautious and aware. My dogs usually have bandanas on in hopes a hunter or idiot can recognize they are much loved pets. Especially Greta, I worried someone would mistake her for a deer.
But in my own backyard right smack dab in the middle of suburbia? Stupid decision by some adults.



I did get the police report yesterday. Interesting and very thorough.
Apparently the dad answered the door and lied about having guns. That is until one of the kids corrected him.
I have serious concerns about retaliation because this guy strikes me as a nut job. I'm praying my dogs remain safe while we work through this.

 

[MyBuddy]

Apparently the dad answered the door and lied about having guns. That is until one of the kids corrected him.

Wha the? The dad lies. And the kid corrects him. I don't know what to think about that.

 

[Regalis]

I have serious concerns about retaliation because this guy strikes me as a nut job.

This changes my answer. I may drop it in this instance. Unless moving is a viable option (and trust me, I get that it's usually not). We put up with a ton of really sketchy stuff in the city just because it was easier to keep quiet than risk retaliation. After the "kid" (not really a kid lol but young 20's) across the street got hit in the face with a brick and the perp never apprehended, the whole block sort of went into a mind your own business/handle things without cops state. He was damn lucky that he wasn't more seriously injured (thanks in part to the fact that I was awake for some reason, heard the commotion and went out and kept him from bleeding out ... Fun times) and we're fairly certain the incident had to do with his dogs (someone wanted his "mini pitbull" and he wouldn't sell it).

So yeah. Proceed with caution. If you don't already and can afford it, security cameras would be a good idea.

 

[MyBuddy]

This changes my answer. I may drop it in this instance. Unless moving is a viable option (and trust me, I get that it's usually not). We put up with a ton of really sketchy stuff in the city just because it was easier to keep quiet than risk retaliation. After the "kid" (not really a kid lol but young 20's) across the street got hit in the face with a brick and the perp never apprehended, the whole block sort of went into a mind your own business/handle things without cops state. He was damn lucky that he wasn't more seriously injured (thanks in part to the fact that I was awake for some reason, heard the commotion and went out and kept him from bleeding out ... Fun times) and we're fairly certain the incident had to do with his dogs (someone wanted his "mini pitbull" and he wouldn't sell it).

So yeah. Proceed with caution. If you don't already and can afford it, security cameras would be a good idea.

I was thinking the same thing. I can be confrontational in certain situations. But when it concerns my safety and/or the safety of my loved ones, I would proceed with caution too. I don't like to live in fear. And if retaliation is a threat, then I would try and make amends in a calmer way. I'd be mad as hell about all of this, believe me! But, as my mother used to say, You get more flies with honey.

 

[GennyB]

Wha the? The dad lies. And the kid corrects him. I don't know what to think about that.

I think dad was trying the 'it wasn't us' gig. I guess his kid hasn't learned to lie yet.

I may drop it in this instance.

We thought long and hard about this. We decided to go forward because isn't this how the bad guy wins with intimidation? Not playing holier than thou, but this was just too much wrong going on for me.

 

[Regalis]

We thought long and hard about this. We decided to go forward because isn't this how the bad guy wins with intimidation? Not playing holier than thou, but this was just too much wrong going on for me.

Yes, it is, unfortunately. The main thing is understanding the risks and deciding if they are risks you are willing to take. For us, it was having young kids that tipped the scales - putting ourselves at risk I can live with, but putting them at risk wasn't acceptable to me. I did however make several reports within days of moving

It's a fine line to balance. When to take risks, when not to. I have no clue if we did the "right" things, but we did what we could live with. Prior to having kids - I didn't do much risk assessment, like at all, until it nearly landed me in jail - I maintain i was in the right. I was living in an apartment, neighbor was an addict and worked at a local bar, really unstable broad. She came home one night drunk as a skunk and strung out, got mad about who knows what and went into a rampage. I found her 12 year old son standing on our shared porch holding a giant kitchen knife she had thrown at him. I told him to go in my apartment and lock the door and only open it if I told him to while i called the cops. Cops ended up threatening ME with kidnapping charges! (I was 17 at the time ...). That entire ordeal definitely changed the way I dealt with things and the things I was willing to involve myself in, especially since the end result was going to be the same no matter what - the terrified kid had to go back home.

Any time it happened in the future, I just had him come in and call his sister and kept the door locked until she got there. Legal? No. Lol. But it kept him safe.

All that to say - I respect anyone willing to take the risks, but I understand why people sometimes don't.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

I am going to give an opinion that is probably going to be bucking the norm of today’s world.

I feel the parents and the kids need to be held accountable for their actions.
Our society today tends to just give a verbal warning and a light slap on the wrist for fear of upsetting the child or thinking it may harm their child’s sensitive emotions. I call total BS on that.
We wonder why kids are amping up their actions and find it fun to see how far they can push and get away with it. It’s time to take a stand and not let them walk away without some form of punishment.
If retaliation is their intent then you need to be watchful but punish that also.
Allowing intimidation and fear to control you and make you back off is just not right. They win and then it will escalate the next time they try to do this to someone else.

I understand choosing your battles option but to quietly hide from their possible threats of retaliation is giving them power over you and others.

I will confront although it is not something that I want to do if it can be avoided and I will live with whatever actions come from that.
I understand too that teaching a lesson can come with a monetary cost like getting security cameras and motion sensor lights and alarms, hiring an attorney and your time to make sure your home and pets are safe but it needs to be done. It is overwhelming for awhile but it lessens when the goal is achieved.

You may very well be the first line of defense in preventing the kids from escalating to human targets when they have no remorse with harming an animal.
There has to be consequences or we are failing our way of life and the security we expect to have in our own homes and communities and that of our families.

Bullies threaten and attempt to do things behind your back. Why?!? Because they are cowards and are afraid to do it face to face.
Stop them from getting away with it, then you will find other neighbors joining in to stop the behavior.
Sometimes all it takes is one person to say ENOUGH, then others will follow.

I am not an instigator of battles but it is just not in my nature to back down from fear and threats and go silently away.
I am one that wants justice because I was taught growing up that harmful actions have consequences. I don’t threaten action, I take it.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

@Tropicalbri's ... Well said.