Rural gun ownership.

[HillWilliam]

10. Thank you. This is the one-and-only reason I have guns in the house

I live miles from police/sheriff help and there is exactly one fish-and-wildlife officer to handle two good-sized counties. I have six rescued herding dogs that are well-socialized, gentle, and essentially defenseless against the wild creatures who might think to do them harm if one was so determined. I gave my furgirls almost three acres of playground around the house surrounded by a pretty stout electric fence. The fence is designed to keep wild critters out much more than to keep them in (herding dogs, especially well-bonded ones aren't terribly likely to wander), but a fence, no matter how constructed can only do so much.

I've also had to dispatch a raccoon, and there are wild hogs and I've spotted a cougar around. Those can absolutely tear a dog up. I've mentioned this before: two of these dogs are my partner's assistants. Aide dogs don't grow on trees. They take years to train; you only get a couple or three good years' service; then when they want or need to retire, it's only fair to make their retirement as safe and comfortable as possible. WE OWE THEM that.

Our sheriff's department is understaffed. The sheriff encourages the populace here to be educated, to know the law, to take safety courses, and to have a reasonable firearm handy. Most of the folks in our county are like us: older, vulnerable, but responsible and cooperative with our sheriff. We think the world of him (and he's a good Democrat!!). We're not liable to go shooting up the place. It's the yayhoos who come in from out of state to hunt on the gamelands we always have problems with: trespassing, shooting at houses and cows, drunk and loudmouthing... lovely. Believe, all we have to do is pick up the phone, dial 911 and say "in progress". We get help.

For critters, though, we're on our own. So long as they leave us and our homes/kids/furkids alone, we tend to leave them alone.