Alistair,

My ex-employer killed my dog. I really liked my dog. This probably skews my perspective, so I need to know: How high can I put the body count (considering that most of the guys I used to work with are pretty bad characters. It’s a mob thing) before it’s excessive?

Locked and Loaded in Syracuse

Locked and Loaded,

Since your question is specifically regarding the avoidance of excess, that will be the subject of my response. Killing anybody over a dog is an excess – as simple as that. The best possible thing to be said for the animal is that it was a practical asset, assuming it wasn’t merely some pet. On a strictly eye for eye basis, you can remove an asset of your enemy’s. Like a toaster oven. Or maybe his favorite pair of shoes. Knock yourself out.

Alistair