Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 10:50:01 -0400
From: stinmar1
Subject: Gun and Goats
There are sides to any issue but this one is close to me on both sides .. I appreciate The Goat house for what it does for animals . I also am a big second amendment supporter . Let me voice my opinion carefully .
I had a friend with a collie and a big furry orange cat who moved into New York for a years worth of training . The first week the dog didn’t eat and the cat retreated into the closet from all the loud noises in the new environment . He had a small balcony and neither animal would even venture near the open door to peek out . He said the trains shook the building , there was occasional gunfire , cars back firing , construction noises and the roar of the cities inhabitants constantly moving . After a month he noticed the dog was eating normally and the cat was exploring the apartment .
When he opened the door for fresh air off the balcony a month later he found the cat on the rail looking down 4 stories like it owned the place with the dog sleeping in the sunshine . Both animals acclimated and from that point on no matter where he moved noises never bothered the animals .
I have dogs , my neighbor has dogs . The animals are used to the noise as its normal to them now . We go down to the woods where a deputy buddy and a good friend knowledgeable of firearms advised us on how build our own private small firing range . We made it so the firearms would be shot in a direction away from the homes . It minimizes sound when they are fired away from the homes . Its down in a low area surrounded by dirt and the hills that make sound travel up not out so much . Yes you still hear the gunfire but some proper planning and forethought help minimize the noise . If someone used the landscape and proper foliage they could negate a good part of the noise to a much more manageable level .
Most of the people I know who enjoy shooting do it responsibly during daylight hours . If you hear an occasional shot early mornings its someone hunting not target practicing . I would expect a gun range would have set hours of operation as well and that would limit gunfire to certain times of the day . There are those who tend to offend others with loud gunshots at odd hours of the day and night . I have found these folks offend others guns or not . They just don’t care period . Its not the guns its the people who don’t care for others rights for a peaceful nights sleep that are an issue . We have a great sheriffs department and I’m sure a gun range would offer Officers another place to go practice off duty as well . I don’t see it as a bad thing in fact Chatham County really needs a gun range not just for practice but as a place people can go be taught how to properly discharge a fire arm .
The animals will be fine and there wont be any cats having a nervous breakdowns . Part of not fearing something is knowing how to properly use it and store it safely . If you start telling folks what they can and cant do on their land based on noise you open up Pandora’s box . It starts off as the guns are too noisy , so we stop people from firing guns. Then someone complains about loud farm or construction equipment , so we stop people from using machines as to not upset someone’s pet animals . Then someone complains about highway noise so we spend millions dollars on brick walls to deaden the sound . Finally we pass a noise ordinance so no one can burp or fart because the sound offends someone , then all the politicians and do gooders fill up with gas and explode .
If that happens do we really want to clean up that mess ?
Goodnite Mark 🙂