Dogs worrying or trying to attack chickens in Hamilton county Tennessee

12-27-2015 I had 3 husky dogs trying to get to my chickens. The chickens an rooster were going burzerk. The dogs were on my property for 6 min before I was able to get my gun and get out in the yard, I fired 1 shot in the ground which scared off the smaller 2 which were trying to dig under the coup, when the larger husky turned to me an showed it's teeth I shot it 1 time. The owner showed up 16 min later to remove the animal ( altering or tampering with a crime scene) and wouldn't leave, making all manner of threats towards me an my family. After notifying police an they showed up, the dog loving police accuse me of killing a member of the dogs owner's family and 1 hr later cite me with reckless endangerment although I am in the county, on my own private property that is zoned agricultural and the 2 homes on either side of mine is vacant and the home the police sighted for the charge is more than 16 acres away through some partially wooded fields. Just wondering if anyone else in Hamilton county Tennessee or any where in Tennessee have had similar incident. The dog owners have taken great length in leaving out info when making a face book page ( Justice for Chief) in harassing me an listing my address for any lunatic to show an potentially do harm to my 3 kids or wife an self. What they say they want is justice but what they are entreating is revenge and retaliation.

I believe that in every state, you have the right to kill dogs to protect your livestock.
In MO, if a dog worries your livestock, you can track it across the state and kill it wherever you find it except in a pen on its owner's property.

Perhaps the police aren't familiar with the law.

I've been through this several times. My neighbor's husky/malamutes have killed my chickens on more than one occasion.
Another neighbor's huskies were trying to get into a run and I caught them, tied them up and called animal control.
Animal control called back saying the owner was coming over to pick them up. I said, "no they aren't". You are going to pick up the dogs and cite the owner. I informed the AC person of the law and that I'm legally authorized to kill the dogs.
They were alarmed. I kept asking to speak with supervisors until I spoke to someone who knew the law. They came to get the dogs and issue a summons.
I wanted a paper trail so when I killed the dogs, it would help.

One of the TV court shows once had a case of a farmer that killed a dog that had killed his chickens. The dog owner was suing for the value of the dog, pain and suffering, yada, yada, yada. Something like $4,000. The judge, after hearing the case, dismissed it saying the dog person had no case.

The chickens are livestock. Livestock is your livelihood and you have a right to protect it.
The thing people need to understand is, if you hadn't killed the dog, it would have killed your chickens.
The other thing is, your chickens didn't wander onto his property. His dogs were on your property attacking your livestock.

Imagine if you had a toddler wandering in your yard. What would have prevented the dog from killing your kid?

I keep a loaded 12 gauge on my porch for dogs and coyotes.
Screw the dog.
You may have been better off with SSS. Shoot, shovel and shut up.

Here's one of my culprits.



And part of the mayhem.

I totally agree with Chicken Canoe. You may want to post on your state thread (put name in search box and it will pop up) people there could give you advice about laws in your state.

Try posting here John.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/226276/tennessee
good luck, and welcome

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!