| Many people want to know about the effectiveness | | | | there are new reports of such devices being used |
| of stun guns on animals. While stun guns are quite | | | | against animals. TASER devices have been known to |
| effective on human attackers, a stun gun is specially | | | | be effective in some cases, but they should always |
| designed to target the nervous system and muscles | | | | be the last resort, and a more appropriate method |
| of humans. It is not designed for animals' bodies, and | | | | should be used if one is available. |
| will have an unknown effect on them. The general | | | | A better choice for animal defense is a product |
| consensus is that stun guns are not an appropriate | | | | designed to control animal aggression, such as an |
| method of stopping animal attacks. | | | | animal repellant spray. This works similarly to pepper |
| A stun gun may have a range of effects depending | | | | spray. In fact, if you want to carry an all purpose self |
| on the animal. It may be unable to stop the animal | | | | defense weapon that can work against animal or |
| from attacking, especially if it is a large animal like a | | | | human attacks, consider a canister of pepper spray. |
| bear. On the other end of the spectrum, it may | | | | Pepper spray, even that designed to be used on |
| actually end up killing the animal, even though stun | | | | humans, is known to be effective at causing the |
| guns are a nonlethal method when used against | | | | same effects in dogs and other animals as it does in |
| human attackers. Even though you want the attack | | | | humans. Still, regular pepper spray may not be |
| to stop, you may not feel comfortable killing an | | | | effective against large animals that may be able to |
| animal, which is one reason you wouldn't want to use | | | | fight through its effects. Bear repellant, a special type |
| a stun gun in such an attack. The bottom line is that | | | | of spray, does exist, and it has been proven to be |
| stun guns are not designed to be used against | | | | effective in attacks from large wild animals. |
| animals, wild or domesticated, and can have | | | | Other ways to repel animals that are more effective |
| unpredictable results. | | | | and safer than stun devices include a Dog Chaser. |
| Another danger of using a stun device against an | | | | This specialized device emits a high frequency sound |
| animal is that it must be pressed directly against the | | | | that cannot be heard at all by most humans, but will |
| animal in order to work, and this is not always | | | | keep dogs from coming within 15 feet of you. These |
| possible or desirable. With that being said, if you do | | | | devices are shaped similarly to a small remote control |
| have a stun gun with you and are being attacked, | | | | or garage door opener, and will work against canine |
| turn it on. The sound of the electrical current has | | | | attacks. Similar devices use a flashing LED light strobe |
| been known to scare away some dogs. Many will run | | | | to confuse the dog. |
| at the sight of a stun gun once it is on. Occasionally, | | | | |