How do I telll my son that his dog was shot by a neighbor?

Question

My son got a beagle 3 days ago. He saved money for 5 years to get this dog. He is 13, and this dog was his new best freind. For 2 nights, he would stay up late and coddle his six week old puppy. He went to a 2 day long camping trip, and the dog jumped out of a first story window, wandred into a neighbor's yard, and the poor mutt was shot and killed . I cannot sue the neighbor, it was on his lawn. I also cannot afford a new dog. My son will probably have a nervpus breakdown. Saving for five yars,and only getting to see his reward for two days. Please answer quickly, mean answers will be reported/

Answer 1

You tell him the truth and seek legal assistance. The animal was not aggressive, or causing destruction, and had no prior history of wandering I assume. If this is the case the people actually commited a cruelty to animals crime and are entitled to pay you for the damage. Go to a lawyer and get some advice and have a police report filed, you may get a ticket if there are leash laws for the area, however, you can get the money back and then some for the act the neighbor committed.

Just tell you son, he is thirteen. This may seem really harsh, but it is also a lesson about how sometimes the worlds can screw you. It will build character. I know that it sucks to be in this situation, but we all had to experience it at one point and time and this will have to be your sons time.

Answer 2

First, it's always best to tell the truth, no matter how much it hurts. Your son is old enough for that. If you are willing & able to get your son another dog, offer to do so. Take him to a pound, the humane society, or a rescue group. You may be able to find a beagle rescue. You can get great pets that way. Keep in mind, though, that he may not be ready for another pet just yet.
Second, I would definitely look into taking legal action against your neighbor. You may be able to do more than you think. A puppy is certainly no threat to anyone, even if it was trespassing. At the very least, report the incident to the police, so that they have a record of it. I don't know about the laws where you live, but that could definitely be considered animal abuse. It has been proven that animal abuse often progresses into abusing people. The authorities need to be aware of this situation.

Answer 3

You can probably file charges no matter what state you live in. What are the county/city ordinances for firing a gun within those limits? I am not sure anyone can fire a firearms within city limits and not be charged. A civil suit is still possible. Who told you that you can't sue someone under these circumstances? You will have to tell your son the truth. Then you will have to explain that some people are mean and do bad things. First, I would see what your legal options are. Then, I would find a way to help my son get another dog. money's tight but possibly an animal shelter would have a dog for him.

Prosecuting the ****** that did this will probably bring on other problems but this is where you have to make a choice. Let the ****** kill your animal, or charge him. If there are other problems, report on each of those.

If the neighbor is a psycho,which is what it sounds like, you have to decide what is best for you.

Answer 4

I think your son should be told your dog jumped from the first story window, and the dog is dead. There is no point in stressing a young man about "how" the dog died. Remember, summer is coming up and there is a lot of free time. Someone with rage or hatred in their heart may want to retaliate. This will only escalate. Try contacting the breeder and see if an arrangement can be made to acquire another dog. If they live close, perhaps your son could clean kennels to earn part of the price of the dog. Perhaps the breeder will be compassionate and help. Some breeders are in it just for the money. So, it's a guess as to what the breeder will do.
Whatever you do, don't try to get another dog and try to put it in as a "ringer". (A lookalike for the first dog.) Teenage boys aren't stupid and will resent that you are trying to fool them as if they were six.

Answer 5

First, there probably isn't any legal action you can take. It doesn't matter if a dog is aggressive or not, when people live out in the country and a dog comes on their property for whatever reason they can shoot it. Case in point my friend who is scared to death of dogs had two med. size dogs show up on her porch. She drove back to town and had a cop follow her home. The dogs were gone by the time they got there...the officer was coming along to shoot the dog for her. He told her she had every right to shoot them should they show up again.

This neighbor may not have realized it was your dog either, while I don't think remotely he should have shot it, he might have simply thought it was another stray, and as I live in an area surrounded by rurals, people get tired of stray after stray after stray showing up at their home. They look at it as it is more humane to shot it then let it wander and starve, espeically a puppy. While I would personally take any dog in till I found it a suitable home....not everyone wants to do that, and I guess it is not something that should be imposed on anyone.

As far as what to tell him. I'm not a parent so I probably wouldn't have the right thing to say. However I would NOT tell him it ran away or something...because then he will constantly look for it and may even get hurt wandering off somewhere trying to find it. Thats what I would have done if I were him as a kid.....I'd look for it for a loooong time.

If you live in the rurals, then I'm sure it would be no problem to find another puppy. But I wouldn't do it right away, give your kid time.

I hate to say this, but I too also find it really hard to believe that any 6 wk old puppy could get out a window (unless you have some seriously low windows and no screens) take a fall and wander off. Usually puppies tend to stay close. I also wonder how you know it was your neighbor who shot the dog...unless he came over and bragged about it (if he did then he's a really big jerk).

Answer 6

Your neighbor had no right to shoot the dog. That's against the law unless the dog was going to attack him or something which I highly doubt very much. I woud report your neighbor to the police and have him taken to court for that. He's the one that owes your son a new dog for doing that. I'm so sorry that your son saved 5yrs for a dog and now have to be told that your neighbor is some crazied idot and shot it. I would be so very angry with my neighbor if they did that and I would be on that phone so fast calling the police.

Answer 7

Are you sure you can't sue you neighbor? If the man was in no danger, shooting the dog and firing a firearm is pretty excessive. I would make sure that jerk was aware that I wouldn't tolerate any BS!
Your son will have to be told but I am not sure he should know about the neighbor. Teen boys can be rather impulsive and you wouldn't want him confronting your neighbor and getting shot because he's on his "lawn". Take him to a shelter. There is a perfect dog waiting for him there. Find out where the nearest Beagle rescue is. He deserves a dog, and there's a dog out there that deserves a boy.

Answer 8

I stay interior the rustic and we've an identical rule: if a canines chases, assaults or maybe steps onto property with farm animals the owner can shoot to kill. regrettably there is no regulation that would desire to help the owner of the domestic dog. I do relatively advise the Invisible puppy fence. I certainly have 2 canines and the fence works super. basically and FYI spooked horses can heavily injure themselves. If Oddie might of reason that, there might of been an extremely high priced aquarian bill to Oddies daddy. Oddie replaced into enjoyed and now could be doggie heaven. I wish your son peace and therapeutic on an identical time as morns Oddies dying.

Answer 9

Just tell him the truth... that it was an accident that the dog escaped, and the consequence was that he was shot.

On a completely different note, I think it's beyond messed up that your neighbor would shoot a 6-week old puppy. (And odd that the breeder of the puppy would sell a dog that young. It's best to wait until they're at least 8 weeks... but that's a completely different issue.)

If I were you, I'd offer to take my son to your local animal shelter to pick out a new dog. The dog will most likely be a mutt, but mutts make wonderful pets; and, in many cases, are far healthier than purebreds. Tell your son that it's important not to leave windows open, and/or puppy proof any windows that may be accesible.

Answer 10

Dont matter if the dog was on his lawn u can still sue him the dog was no threat at all he had no right to do that. But for your son you need to be honest with him dont make up excuses its hard but you can both get threw it. As someone said shelters are cheaper you can get a new puppy if thats what he wants for a low cost, as for your neighbor he needs some serious help.