3 murdered hens...advice please

[purr]

would just like to say sorry for your loss,
We had a dog loose in the neighborhood and I thought it was going to get hit by a car so I caught the dog and called the number on the dog tag. The owners said , let him go he'll find his way home. I live on a very busy street and they lived 2 miles or more down the road and in a different town.
I packed the dog up and brought him to the pound . I never saw the dog again , I don't know if they went and paid the fine or left him there.

I do know I could not shoot a dog, but you might have to stop me from slapping the cr@p out of the owner.

 

[horsejody]

Any updates?

 

[ZepChick]

Sorry for the late update....but here it is.

Animal control went to their house yesterday, and they said the dog was gone. Just tonight we took a walk around our rural neighborhood, and saw the stupid dog ouside their house, barking and yapping. We took a picture of the dog, and of course the owners came out and started screaming at us, telling us we have no life, etc.

Animal control cannot enter their house without a warrant, and I am not sure they can get one. We just have called the sheriff's office, with advice to call animal control again tomorrow, I feel as if we are butting our head against the wall, and we have barely let the girls out of the coop as we haven't completely predator-proofed their run as much as I want it to be.

The dog owner also told me, my daughter, and my husband that she was "sorry for our bad luck" that our "stupid chickens" died. As we were leaving she yelled that she knew we had a yellow lab (who has been indide our house for the past week cuz we don't trust our neighbors) and she was going to kill him.

I am wondering, with an out and out threat like that to our dog, can we get the regular old sheriff involved? My husband didn't hear her say it (just my 13 year old daughter and I), so he didn't report it when on the phone to the dispatcher. This has gone on long enough, these people thouroughly disgust me. Not that it matters, but I ampositive they won't want the sheriff over at their house (with it's frequent traffic even way out here, and frequent skinny visitors to it).

I wish I was brave enough to sneak over and SSS as some have suggested, and the dog hasn't come back after those two times.....but I know in my heart the little stupid thing will eventually find it's way over here again and have it's fun with our hens. If I do see it here again, suffice it to say that my husband has showed me how to handle the shotgun, and I may get in trouble for it....but that thing is as good as dead.

 

[PurpleChicken]

You can attempt pressing charges for her threat against your dog. Chances are the
police won't do much about that. Next time bring a tape recorder.

You could try a lawyer. A well written letter to these people may help.

I'd keep the chickens in the run when you can't be home. Clip some wings
and reinforce the run.

You may also consider a trap of some sort. Catch the dog and then dispatch it.

 

[Jolyn]

I am not for killing the dog normally!! HOWEVER in this situation even I might consider the SSS method.

Sorry for the loss of your girls.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Quote:
I've done the former but it is the latter I yearn for!!!

 

[rooster-red]

As an ex ACO I can tell you that Animal Control can get a search warrant issued by a judge, but they need your pics to do so.

ACO's are sworn in exactly the same way police officers are.

 

[rufus]

Face it, these people are not going to control their dog. And, your kids are going to have to go to school with their kids. Bite the bullet and invest in a real good fence. Add electric to it if you legally can.

Time is on your side. Eventually, the dog will be killed in traffic or suffer some other horrible fate.

Meanwhile, leave a dead animal out for the dog to roll in. After it comes home smelling like that a couple of times, they will be more careful about letting it run free.

Rufus

 

[Verboten]

As I am sure that you know, you need to limit your contact with these people. It will be back and when it does remember: you never saw it. They will blame you if it dies of even natural causes at this point (they are irrational animals themselves). After the animal goes away be vigilant for a couple of months. Take them at their word on the threats and treat them as a danger to the lives of your family if they are stupid enough to try to follow through (I doubt it).

Best of luck to you!

I wonder how many people's coops/runs are Jack Russell proof? - What a joke!

 

[ZepChick]

Thank you to all for your advice. We will follow up with animal control tomorrow and get started on our fortress-like chicken run asap. You are right, they will not control their dog...it's just so hard for me to believe there are people like this in the world

I mean, these birds were our pets, we loved them and cuddled them and I would do almost anything to have them back. Thanks again, everyone.