Any person may kill a dog in self-defense or in defense of another when the dog, without due provocation, bites him, her or the other, or attacks, or attempts to bite or attack him, her or the other in such a manner that an ordinarily-prudent person would be led to believe that the person toward whom the efforts of the dog are directed is about to be bitten or otherwise physically harmed.
(Prior Code, § 6-7A-4)