Georgia has relatively strong self-defense laws, and you may be legally justified in using deadly force to protect yourself (or someone you love) from serious threats. But can you use your firearm to protect yourself against an aggressive dog? Does this count as animal cruelty, or does this fall under the doctrine of self-defense? This is something that many victims ask themselves after being attacked by vicious dogs in Cobb County.
Charges Dropped Against Man Who Shot Aggressive Pit Bull
Police in Georgia say that a man will not face charges for shooting and killing a pit bull in April of 2025. They say that while they initially had probable cause to take the man into custody for reckless conduct, they eventually determined that they had insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This incident occurred on a Sunday afternoon when a young man was walking his small golden retriever mix near his apartment complex. He then encountered a girl walking her pit bull. Sensing danger, the young man picked up his dog and attempted to leave. However, the girl lost control of her dog, which then launched itself at the man and tried to tear the smaller animal away.
The pit bull was ultimately successful, biting the smaller dog on its neck and putting it in imminent danger. The young man tried to rescue his pet from the dog’s jaws, but he was unsuccessful. At this moment, a neighbor appeared with his 9mm handgun and fired a warning shot into the air, hoping that it would scare away the pit bull. The warning shot had no effect, so the neighbor took a second shot at the pit bull.
Struck and mortally wounded, the pit bull staggered into a grassy area and collapsed. The girl ran to her parents and told them what happened, and the police arrived at the scene. The shooter was arrested and charged with reckless conduct. However, this charge was dropped – and perhaps for obvious reasons.
The child was clearly incapable of properly restraining the large, heavy, and powerful pit bull. That is an offense in and of itself in many areas of Georgia, including Cobb County. The failure to restrain a dog can result in “criminal liability,” and the owners of the pitbull would’ve likely been liable for any injuries the pit bull would have caused.
In fact, one has to wonder whether the parents of the child were acting responsibly when they allowed the girl to walk a pit bull with no adult supervision. The animal was clearly capable of escaping from the child’s control and potentially causing fatal dog bite injuries to man and beast alike. One has to wonder what might have happened if the man with the handgun had not arrived when he did. Perhaps the owner of the golden retriever would have suffered serious or even fatal injuries. It is also likely that the golden retriever would have died.