Advice on neighbor who shot at my dog

[User635240]

I'm glad that situation was resolved.

 

[McChooky]

One time a tree took our fence out without our knowledge (in the middle of the night) so the next morning our dog escaped within 5 minutes after we let him out to potty. Because he is an escape artist he seizes every opportunity to wander off. Escape artists have to have good fencing! Your dog will only learn to respect the fence if its baited (long haired dogs only feel it on the nose)

 

[texsuze]

Last night after checking the windmill I came across a young black lab trespassing on our property. Couldn't manage to catch him. Last month, while checking fencelines my husband saw 3 mongrel dogs chasing a badly injured white-tailed buck across the property--a really desperate scene. We're on larger acreage with good fencing; we try, but are not always successful, at keeping holes and access points secure along our fencelines. Unfortunately, the mongrel dog trespass situation in our part of the county has escalated in the last 5 years. For the first time ever I'm considering buying a firearm and hoping I'll have the gumption to use it on any offending animal. I'm so sick of canines roaming our ranch, day and night. Dogs have been part of my entire life (including now) but I personally have reached a turning point in my attitude about the situation that I never wanted to come to.
As a pet/livestock owner, containment of your animals is the key. Another consideration, being blunt here, is whether someone's situation (house, land, fencing, kennel, location, lifestyle, etc) is really the appropriate place for the breed(s) of dogs they've decided to have. Not the dog's fault that some are inherently known to roam (especially if intact), or chase, or require lots of space, or bark at any noise. The owner needs to curtail those behaviors if they're leading to wandering and trespass, wreaking havoc on wildlife, domestic stock and neighbors' right to peace and quiet. Rant over....

 

[lomine]

Someone posted on Nextdoor yesterday that their LGD got out and then a few hours later posted an update that the dog had been found. It was shot dead. Dog owner said it was the first time he had gotten out. Sad, but these dogs are known to escape and roam. Details are scarce but I'm guessing the fence wasn't tall enough. So many dogs have been getting out and killing other animals. Livestock owners are on edge aroung here.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Warning shots are illegal almost everywhere I'm aware of. There have been a number of famous cases where people are arrested for 10+ years for illegally discharging a weapon. In my state of Florida it's a felony to brandish a weapon or fire warning shots. The state law here says that the only reason a firearm should be discharged (with others around) is to protect one's life or prevent a felony from occuring

In a lot of places warning shots are far more illegal than just shooting someone

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I'm with the neighbor keep your dog on your property if it was me dog wouldnt be walking anymore. Your lucky all it was is a scare shot ive dealth with peoples dogs killing my birds

 

[No Coop No Problem]

I'm with the neighbor keep your dog on your property if it was me dog wouldnt be walking anymore. Your lucky all it was is a scare shot ive dealth with peoples dogs killing my birds

A dog running harmlessly through an empty field, not harming, scaring or chasing anything doesn't deserve death. Anyone that shoots such a dog has murdered an innocent life and committed a felony

Warning shots are also a felony everywhere I'm aware of

Even in castle doctrine states you can't just shoot someone for trespassing on your land. It has to be preventing a felony or in self-defense

 

[Folly's place]

People owning livestock can just 'be over' having dogs running in their fields, whether the dog is chasing their animals at that moment, or not. The dog is innocent, it's owner is responsible. And having animals injured or killed by a loose dog, even once, will make many farm owners more likely to not take chances with 'he's not hurting anything' dogs out there.
Very rarely one of our dogs has gotten out, and I would be very sad, but understanding, if that dog turned up dead. I'm responsible for keeping my critters at home!
Mary

 

[itsasmallfarm]

i don't know the laws where your from, but here are my thoughts.

is there a law about how far to safely shoot a gun from your house? or neighbors house?

here in Saskatchewan its legal to shoot a dog at large chasing a big game animal, harassing you, your live stock or property damage.

 

[User635240]

Hey @itsasmallfarm, that's an interesting point. The law here says not to shoot closer than 150 feet from a dwelling, but there may be exceptions for cases of trespassing dogs, coyotes etc.
I've been thinking, although this neighbor is not very nice or friendly, he has had opportunities to legally kill my dogs and he has not. He has warned several times. I guess I should be thankful.
I also realized the main problem was one of my barn doors kept flying open, even when locked, and it turns out the door frame was not aligned with the door. The contractor who built the barn came by yesterday and adjusted the door.