12 dead birds and charges filed *update 1st court date today*

[birdsofparadise]

Even though Hawaii requires all dogs to be leashed or penned, my neighbors let their dogs run free on some theory that it scares the wild pigs away from their gardens. Never mind the damage the dogs do. First day my chicks left the brooder, the dogs came and I had to go door to door and demand that they be leashed or I was calling Animal Control. Not great for neighborly relations, but I keep my dog leashed and they can too.

 

[horsejody]

Well, my dork neighbor asked for a continuance. So now the criminal court date is Feb 27th. I will be there and so will the witnesses. If he thinks delaying it will help him, he is wrong. He is probably going to try to breed the dog one more time. That will backfire on him.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Grrrr....Good luck! Another (nearly) two months is a long time to wait!

 

[PortageGirl]

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr"

Someone should tell him that neither you nor your other neighbors have short attention spans, and that January, or February, or any other day, it just doesn't matter! You'll still be there to watch him go down!!!

 

[spookyevilone]

Can you ask for a restraining order or injunction to prevent them from breeding the dogs while they wait for trial?
-Spooky

 

[FrChuckW]

Well that just add to his costs for loss time from production of saleable chicks/eggs. I would however press the attorney that you have already been delayed x number of months already and that these continuances need to be stopped before someone gets attacked and hurt by these dogs.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Excellent point!

 

[Machine gun hand]

I had the same problem with a boxer who would race in from the wood line, kill several chicken, or ducks and race out. I would look at the delay in the legal process as an excelent oppertunity to engage your insurgent threat to your birds and your family! One thing is certin the dogs will be back and when they do show up "light em up''! It will only add to ease your burdin of proof to your case that the dogs represnted a pysical threat to you your family and your live stock when the dogs are found dead or the owner is shelling out thousands for surgury to patch up a dog that has a hole in it. But its all in how you articulate the up comming conflect. Make statements to the police that you were in fear for your life and the lives of your family and live stock. You had no doubt in your mind that the dogs were going to kill you and you had to shoot them to (stop the threat). Remember perception is a form of reality. The crimanal justice system is all about pleading down charges the DA offices want convictions to there trial record but they dont care what kind conviction. like a 25 doller fine no restituton payed. Im not saying that will happen but be prepaired for it. You have to understand the case load these people deal with drug charges, assults/batterys, homocides, pedofiles ect. It sucks but the loss of the chickens may mean very little to them. Whats more terifiying is that if it were your son that got mauled ask your self what would the system do to this guy...that would be a night mare! Concentrate on midigating the threat. I wish I lived near you I would sit and watch all day for the oppertunity to shoot them for you. Hang in there look at the small victorys each day and before you know it the war will be over!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Wow, catching up on this thread is tough.

I'd like to comment on 2 points. I consider HorseJody a BYC friend and
we've had some great conversations here so no one misconstrue my
words please. She deserves justice for the neighbors neglegence.
The neighbor deserves to be charged.

I wish this could have been decided by a judge. Like Oblio, if I had to sit
on a jury for more than a day to hear a case like this I would be enraged.
Our courts are clogged with ridiculous cases that cost the taxpayers
millions and feed the sharks(lawyers). I am not saying Jody's case is
ridiculous it is just a pretty cut and dry case that should have taken
a judge 10 minutes to rule on.

So, I completely support Jody's efforts and I also understand Oblio's
thoughts and feel similiar to him. The only difference is I would just like
to see the defendant sizzle for a little while. Maybe a Tazer would work
too.

Hopefully this case will set a precedence fore future cases like it.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Horsejody, kudos for 'sticking' with it. Very few people stick with the situation to see it resolved right. This may be a lesson learned by your local courts to not let something like this slide with a slap on the wrist in the future. If you and your posse (I'm on it too) ride it to the end, the next case (if there ever is one) may not be taken so lightly. Nor should yours, but again it will be a lesson learned.
PC, I can agree with you but it is too bad that a punishment can't be decided without going to court and costing tax payers money. But it is innocent until proven guilty even with witnesses.