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Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 17, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I think it would have some effect if the consequences of owning an illegal dog were the same as owning an illegal firearm. I believe, in most jurisdictions, having an illegal firearm is either a felony or the "worst" misdemeanor. And yes, if piled on other charges, it gets serious in a hurry.

"Are you serious? Illegal dog the same as an illegal gun? Get out of town, man..." The haters will say.

But let me ask this; besides a gun, what "thing" can you own that can do the same level of damage / death that an off leash (large) dog could do? Perhaps a car (which we have lots of licensing and registration regimes around). Knives and power tools are a little more shaky, but not a totally bad argument. The key, however, becomes that dogs, unlikely any of the things just listed, have (literally) a mind of their own. If I lock my power tools inside my car and lock that in my garage and throw away the keys, the probability of maiming or killing others is effectively 0.

If I do that with my dog, ironically enough, that's called animal abuse.