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Barnyard Buddies:  chicken killing dog  |
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Presidio
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
christina
Alderson
West Virginia
USA
24 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 11:57:05 AM
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| Recently a loose dog had killed several of my young hens. Most of them were my more expensive auracauna hens so I was pretty infuriated. My husband is a bit more relaxed than I so he found out who the owners were and told them to pen up the dog and everything would be fine. I wanted them to pay but my husband hadn't asked for anything. So, anyhow the dog has returned half a dozen times since then to knock-up my girl, and pee all over my portch. I've kept my hens penned up in the coop since then out of fear but I know they hate it and so do I. It's really a nice dog and the major pet lover in me feels sorry for it and I don't want it hurt, but I finally called animal control today. I hate to have a fued with my neighbor but what choice did I have other than to shoot it, which I just don't have the heart to do. I suppose I just need to vent my frustration over the situation and fear over the possible fight with my neighbor to come. :( |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 1:04:26 PM
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Well, in some states a dog chasing livestock is a valid excuse to shoot it, and maybe the owners don't know this. I have recently had a run in with my neighbor regarding my dog barking. This will end up in another post. Anyways, what I did was send a certified letter stating that this man isn't allowed on my property, but maybe you could send a certified letter to these people stating the law, code, etc, and that you don't want to harm their dog at all, but there can be serious repercussions when their dog runs loose, and hurts other creatures. What if it attacked a child? Next time it is on your property, you could call the sherrif's dept, and have a deputy knock on their door to explain to them that their dog shouldn't be running loose killing things.
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bybiddie
True Blue Farmgirl
267 Posts
susan
upstate
ny
USA
267 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 1:42:29 PM
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It's true that even the "nicest" dog will still kill chickens for sport. Most places have a leash law - which is designed to keep everyone safe, including the dog. I would definitely have done the same thing - I have two dogs, one very large, and they are ALWAYS on a leash, except when in my fenced yard. I have had the male neutered and the female spayed so there will be no unwanted litters. We have a couple of loose dogs running around my area which is way out in the country. Their owners are farmers who only put fences up reluctantly. Drives me crazy! Good luck, and stick to your guns (so to speak...;o))
Lovin' my life
http://BizzyHands.etsy.com |
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Presidio
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
christina
Alderson
West Virginia
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 1:56:32 PM
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I hate the idea to kill the dog, though thats the only advice I recieved from anyone. "Well, if it was me I'd have shot the *&%$*# by now, why haven't you?" When my husband spoke with the owners they said it was a drop off and pretty much acted like they didn't feel reponsible. In my opinion, taking an animal in, feeding it, playing with it, makes it yours and therefore your responsibility. I'm not sure what the officer will do. If he'll take it or if he'll leave it up to us. Sounded like he was just going to take it. If the owners had gave a crap they would have just penned the dog up. If it's taken to the shelter it will at least have a CHANCE to be adopted by more caring people.
I live in farm area. To me that seems all the more reason to confine your dog to your property. Otherwise they could get into all kinds of costly trouble. Most farmers around here wouldn't have thought twice about blowing it's head off. These old-timers don't play around when it comes to their livelyhood. |
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serenity1652
True Blue Farmgirl
140 Posts
Fawn
Elkins
WV
USA
140 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 2:05:22 PM
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In West Virginia it is legal to shoot a dog for chasing or killing livestock. I couldn't do it but my husband shot our neighbors dog a few years ago because it killed one of our goats and took down a grown sheep...didn't kill her just hurt her. He didn't hesitate to shoot it.
"May all of your farm girl dreams come true...as mine has"
http://shallowcreekfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 4:32:02 PM
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I had this problem too, it was ALSO Aracuana chickens! They kept disappearing one by one, until I finally caught the neighbor's beagle chasing them around - he killed one right in front of me.
I confronted him (the neighbor), asked him to keep his dog tied or confined, told him I planned to shoot his dog with a BB gun next time (would sting but not hurt too much) and HE became angry and very foul-mouthed! A month later my dog got loose, put his muddy paws up against this man's window (female-in-heat dog inside their house), he came down to my house swearing bloody murder about how his wife had just washed the windows...
I moved within a year (not because of this reason) but it was very uncomfortable after that. If you do approach them it is best to do it with a cool head, possibly in the company of a third party. This kind of a situation can get out of control very quickly. Chickens just aren't worth the potential feud. I decided if I ever have chickens again I will make sure I have a big enough pen or fenced-in area to keep the neighbor's dogs (and wildlife - foxes, owls, hawks, etc.) away, but let them roam safely.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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manda
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
amanda
corralitos
cA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Nov 14 2006 : 9:34:00 PM
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This was a huge topic on an alpaca chat site recently. 2 Mastiff dogs killed 7 alpacas and brutally tore up the alpaca owners guard llamas (one had to be put down the injuries were so severe). It is difficult to get people to keep their dogs in their own yards in the country even with leash laws. People often refer to the solution as the 3 S's -Shoot, Shovel, Silence. I would have a hard time shooting a dog but I hear the frustration of livestock owners losing their animals to unresponsible dog owners.
Amanda |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2006 : 05:06:28 AM
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If shooting the dog is out of the question, then just file a police report. After filing the report procedure should take care of the rest. They should have to pay for the chickens and their value at the time of death, not chicks. Most communities will also fine the dog owner on top of compensation. It is my experience that when the animal starts to cost them money, they will either confine him or get rid of him.
The confrontation and anger is in the relm of the system rather than taken out on you personally. |
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Presidio
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
christina
Alderson
West Virginia
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2006 : 05:35:58 AM
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The animal control officer should stop by today. Like I said, I'm really not sure what he is going to do. I'm at work now so I can't be there. My husband will have to take care of it. I was going to let it go if they had penned up the dog and I had never seen it again, but since I've had to deal with all of this I'm going to go ahead and charge them for the dead birds. Most people have told me they normally charge $20-$30 per bird when a dog kills them, but I think I'll ask for $10. They are not very likely to be able to afford much more. I know I couldn't. I really don't think they'll pay at all but I'm going to try. My husband said they seemed a bit strange when he spoke with them.
I'm working on getting my property re-fenced with a mesh type fence to help prevent this from happening again. I have a fairly good sized property and that will take time and money. Both I have very little of at the moment. |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
Posted - Nov 15 2006 : 3:18:37 PM
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You've done the first steps - talked to the neighbors first to get them to control the dog volunarily, and then only after that, you called animal control.
The next step is to file a police report if the dog comes on the property to kill more birds. But take pictures and try to gather some proof of the animal's actions first. You may end up having to take them to small claims court to get compensation for the birds. This way you have proof that it was their dog and not someone elses.
In my experience, once a dog kills a chicken, he will always kill a chicken if given a chance. It's only natural for them, I guess. You may have to build a smaller pen for your birds to exercise in and fence that with the mesh around your coop. That would at least save you the cost of fencing in your entire property. Or maybe add a strand or two of electric wire along the bottom and top of the pen's fencing? That might work more effectively at changing the dog's behavior than anything else.
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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Edited by - Bluewrenn on Nov 15 2006 3:22:33 PM |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2006 : 05:18:18 AM
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| In virginia the leash law is only march through august. my neighbor 1/10 of a mile away, came to our door cursing and swearing while I was brushing my teeth aruond 11:30 one night. He was furious that my husband put the 4wheeler in the shed and it made noise, and that our dog barked at it. He threatened to have Josh arrested and said he would shoot our dog next time it barked! My dog is a blue tick who would run deer for 3 days at a time, so she is ALWAYS tied on a zip line! The girl who live between me and this jerk had a barking dog mysteriously end up dead, and 2 weeks after he threatened me, he threatened her dog as well. I called the sherrif's dept both times, and reported this, sent the certified letter, and haven't heard from him since. But that was only 3 weeks ago, so I'm sure it's not over. On top of this, the guy has two dogs! |
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Presidio
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
christina
Alderson
West Virginia
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2006 : 08:19:13 AM
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Shooting someones dog on the dogs own property is a felony isn't it? Unless it's attacking the person I believe. I'm sure it depends on the state.
The animal control officer hasn't come by yet. Starting to wonder if he's going to. |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Nov 16 2006 : 08:40:29 AM
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In Kentucky, since doing away with the "farmers livestock fund", you can legally destroy a dog if you CATCH it attacking your livestock, or the animal control officer can do it if he sees it happening. I wouldn't want to do it--my heart would be broken, I think, even though the chickens had it pretty terrible, too. You might check with your dept. of ag to see if they have an established fund (payed into by taxes, subsidies, etc..) that provides repayment to farmers based on loss--it was a great program here, until Kentucky decided to restructure animal control, and let counties handle it. I worked at a rural animal shelter and we experienced this all the time....Bluewren is right about calling your AC--and it sounds like you have. I would let them handle the initial contact because, if you have good, solid documented info, they can sometimes difuse a situation (with a reasonable person) by writing citations--especially if your local and state laws require dog licenses and rabies tags on all dogs, and are subject to roaming laws. The dog can actually be removed from the home if there are multiple violations, but it only helps if the courts enforce them. I will be honest and say that in my experience, citations didn't mean anything to certain folks and they may continue to allow the dog to roam, simply out of spite. Also, working at this shelter, we found that is most cases, once these dogs attack livestock, they pretty much always will. It is their nature, though some dogs certainly have higher prey drives than others.
Wishing you much luck--and hopefully a solution.
Jonni
Just think of all of the roads there are...all of the things I haven't seen....yet. |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2006 : 11:11:04 AM
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As you can already tell, once a dog discovers a good meal, it WILL return.
I tell this story over and over about loosing my prized silkie pair (prized in my heart....I was very attached). Our neighbor's dogs did the same thing, only they didn't EAT any of what they killed. That's maddening too.
I tried researching livestock laws here in NC and in other states. To my knowledge, dogs can be shot for harassing cows and the like but nothing thus far for poultry.
Guess issues like this are what "write your local congressman" is all about.
Does your hubby have the hudspah to pelt the dogs w/ rocksalt or a BB gun. I hate to maim an animal, but when it comes to protecting my own....the gloves are OFF! Pity for ignorant neighbors too. |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2006 : 12:50:45 PM
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Yes, it is a felony. When I talked to the deputy, he said " I think we're just gonna have to get this guy in front of the Judge."
If he came on our property, and shot my dog who is ALWAYS tied when she is outside.(she is a bluetick, and will run deer and dissappear for days), I would hold him at gunpoint with my husbands pistol until the cops came. NO ONE is going to harm my defenseless animals.
If he ever comes back here and threatens her or us(to have us arrested for our dog barking or riding the ATV in OUR pasture), I'm going to say...If you think it's alright to solve a problem with a gun...(pull out the pistol), I agree! So you can either get off my property or go to jail. You pick!
Christina, I know it's hard to hurt animals, but chances are, if they don't keep the dog, it will end up in a shelter. I think you're right for using animal control the best you can though. I would be buggin the sheriff department a lot too. You have to protect what's yours. |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2006 : 07:58:26 AM
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Good point too, I'd guess 9 times out of 10 most dogs who display this kind of behavior are not well cared for. I'd be mortified if any dog of mine were caught harassing another person's stock.
All too often, those of us who live in rural areas know it's shoot first, ask questions later. So if we care about a dog, it will be by my side at all times and under supervision.
The dogs that murdered our chickens were really skinny. You could see evidence of its desperation and hunger when it ripped the second layer of chicken wire off the coop. Glad to know this mode of defense worked.
Now another neighbor's cats have started up. Not w/ our chickens, but just getting inot garbage (caught in the act and guilty as charged) and mixing it up w/ our cat..WHO by the way HAS his shots and is neutered. This neighbor lives around the corner. At night you can drive on the road and count about 12 cats in the middle of the raod everywhere! I couldn't believe it!
The other day we saw a black cat dead close by this house. Since our offender hasn't been seen in about a week, I can sadly assume this was our perp. Getting hit in the road isn't what I consider good population control either! |
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Barnyard Buddies: chicken killing dog |
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chicken killing dog
