Does anyone carry a gun at inspections?

The judge accepts 410 shotgun shells…so much fun!! But, I really like that charmer. It will be a nice addition to my truck!

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In 2016 I was in North Carolina inspecting for Hurricane Matthew. On one property we had to walk in about a 1/4 mile due to the lane being washed out. The applicant pulls out a 45 and asks if I am okay around guns. After I said yes, he takes out every other round and changes them over to 410. He said that the 410 are for the snakes. The 45s were for the bears and looters.

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I don’t know if anyone caught that “the hills have eyes” reference but that is so funny! Also the house kind of reminds me of “Wrong Turn” but they would have ate the dogs so none would be around. :rofl:

That actually makes a great picture on the cover page of the report and helps explain why you had to disclaim so much! :rofl:

I never carry a firearm on a persons property as there are way to many negatives that can go with it if it is discovered. The only time I do is only after permission when doing large properties where I walk the property as well and it is high grass/weeds.

What would be much better is to get a taser and have it for this type situation.

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Hilarious…this home probably has every possible defect…a true house of horrors…I’ve done a few of them myself…plus the dog isn’t caged up…

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Personally, I’d be more concerned with ‘squatters’ and ‘tweakers’!!

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I’ve carried on occasion during inspections, mostly if I’m in a neighborhood that has a history of wild dogs or squatters.

I have had a few occasions where I’ve called the investor and said “I’m afraid to go in this house: the roof is caving in, the siding is rotten and there are flies everywhere” or “There’s a foot of water under the house, the food is all kept in tubs because of the rats and there appear to be bed bugs in every room”. And every time but one, the investor has said “Drive away, I’ll catch you on the next one”. The one that I actually had to go ahead and inspect, the investor was amused by my description of “bullet-shaped holes in the front walls and corresponding interior drywall”.

As far as loose dogs, I’ve gotten the reputation with some rural realtors as “the inspector that’s afraid of dogs”. I have to constantly explain to them that there is no such thing as a “friendly dog loose in the backyard”. There is either “a friendly dog secured in a crate” or “a dog that is friendly when the owners are around but turns into a territorial psychopath when a stranger goes into the back yard”. I tell them that I’ll come back and inspect the back yard when the dog is removed, and the listing agent will be billed a $150 trip charge. Amazing how a properly motivated listing agent can figure out how to solve the loose dog issue.

In case of a dog attack, a screwdriver is more helpful than a pistol. Unless things work out perfectly, you aren’t going to shoot the dog before he attaches himself to you. At that point, your pistol has become a poorly designed club. The screwdriver is used to wedge into the dogs mouth, causing him to release the body part he is attached to. You will then have control of the dog’s head and 3 out of 4 functioning limbs. This is the tricky part, and you will have to figure out how to neutralize the dog.

And this has to be said: If you shoot someone’s dog on their property, whatever the circumstances, it will probably cost about the same as paying to fly to Africa and shoot a lion. Knowing that pulling the trigger is going to cost about $10,000 really helps determine if you are in a life and death situation. A can of dog spray is a much cheaper option and has stopped every dog attack I’ve been involved in.

Only time I’ve been bitten was when a chihuahua jumped out its owners arms and attached itself to my inner thigh.

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Not to mention the ramifications of discharging a firearm in the city and where the stray bullets may go. I wouldn’t shoot someone’s pet unless your or someone else’s life is in imminent danger. And I don’t mean in danger of getting bit, I mean it has its jaws around your throat.

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Begin here to get into the right frame of mind!!..

https://uscca.deltadefense.com/offers/60cb6f12c26f7/join-the-uscca-today-survival-kit?tID=6142403fba317&utm_source=google+search&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=4_search_legal-protection_branded_conversions_skag_kb-new&utm_term=uscca&utm_content=membership&utm_purpose=direct+sales&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-daUBhCIARIsALbkjSYUocu-ppHMi5oDQ8a5-MeeIPE3okplvxVslZl1olhidAspdDiAXwQaAsD8EALw_wcB

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Be careful with that. Many jurisdictions consider that weapon as ‘leathal’ and by painting it orange you are declaring it to not be. Also, use of under powered weapons on an angry ‘target’ could just make them more aggressive.

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A point of emphasis in every concealed handgun course I’ve taken is: If you pull the trigger, you are going to get sued, period. Right or wrong, justified or not, you are going to pay a lawyer a bunch of money. And the first thing the judge is going to ask you is “What could you have done differently so that you would not be in a situation that resulted in discharging your firearm?”.

I’ve shot competitively for many years and I firmly believe that I would have a 5% chance of stopping a charging pitbull with my little carry pistol. However, I can hit a dog square in his eyes with dog spray on a moving bicycle with a strong cross wind 100% of the time. And in about 30 minutes, the only one that knows you maced a dog is you.

For the record, I can’t think of a time that I have sprayed a dog during an inspection, but that’s because I work hard to not be in a situation where that is my only option. Making an uncomfortable phone call and sacrificing 30 minutes of your time will always be a better option than hurting someone’s dog, in my opinion.

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Holy Smokies!
That place would need two coats of paint before it could be condemned.:flushed:

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I preview any property we inspect prior to taking it on. Saves time and energy. You could never charge enough to inspect this and for the life of me I can’t see why you or anybody else would want to.

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Same here. I get a streetview or air photo first. I would not take that job, certainly not without talking to the occupants first via phone. And as for guns there are risks and potential benefits. In my view the risks are greater by far, and that includes the risk that I would be hot headed and use it wrong.

Mace/dog spray: yeah, I’d go there.

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Well, then it sounds like you drew the short straw this time. Sorry you had to deal with this situation.

Consider carrying dog repellent spray (Mace® Brand Muzzle Spray comes in a nice solid flip top protected dispenser). Watch for size limits based on State laws:

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thanks! yea that’s probably what I will do

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When you look into these encounters they tend to happen super fast, usually when you’re not expecting it. Having a dog or other animal on a roof is not usually the norm. Which ever direction you choose to go, my advice is to practice, practice, practice your chosen defensive mechanism.

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I do the same Paul.

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Been concealed carry here in Texas since 1999 and haven’t felt the need to pull the gun until recently. I almost got attacked by pit bulls two days in a row a couple of weeks ago. Two different inspections. The gun is just another tool I put on every day. You never know when something is going to happen where you may need to defend your life or someone else’s. If your going to carry you should be well trained though.

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I got my Oregon concealed carry license a few years and usually have my pistol in my truck. I’ll carry it with me when I first arrive at a vacant, rural or otherwise sketchy property. Aside from that, we inspectors have A LOT of things at our immediate disposal that are pretty good weapons. When I’m inspecting in Hawaii it will just have to be a screwdriver as there are essentially no concealed carry permits here.

Over the years, I’ve been approached twice by aggressive dogs while standing at the back of my truck. First time I was just locked into a “standoff” with an angry pit bull snarling at me. I had my Maglite cocked and ready to get in at least one good shot. After a few minutes the dirt bag owner (contractor working next door, of course) came over and got him. Other time this nasty dog just appeared out of nowhere as I was getting my coveralls on. The owner came and got him pretty quick but it was probably still a minute or so. In either of those instances if I had a pistol I wouldn’t have hesitated. Although, I now have a can of pepper spray within easy reach at the back of my truck and think that’s an overall better option. I’m definitely a gun owner looking for every reason to NOT use my gun.

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