All my sweet birds are gone. What to do?

[StaffordshireLady]

This story really upset me. I have been keeping my rescue girls for 3 months now and if anything like this happened to them I too would be distraught.
When I read your post I cried. I do hope that you manage to raise more chicks from your eggs. Do please let us all know how it turns out.

 

[Searsmom]

This morning I woke up to a pack of big husky looking mixes and pitbulls chasing my horses. I ran outside to see that they had already torn the entire side off of my chicken coop that we had thought we built so securely (my fiance is a builder by profession). All of my ladies, my ducklings, and my sweet rooster were dead. I asked around and found out who the dogs belonged to and paid them a visit. Sure enough the dogs were all loose in their yard with blood & feathers visible on the Huskies. The owners were young boys in their 20s and did not seem to care AT ALL. Not an "I'm sorry". NOTHING. I asked if the dogs could be kept on a chain or indoors and explained that my neighbors and family have very small children and the dogs seemed dangerous. The owners just walked inside.

I called animal control and the police and both came. They, too, did not seem to care. They said the blood & feathers werent really evidence and that I needed photos of the dogs attacking. We borrowed some trail cams and put them up in case they come back.

I'm at a loss. This pack of dogs is terrorizing the neighborhood. I warned all the neighbors not to let the small kids get off the bus alone. And I miss my little birds so much. I want to rebuild but how the hell does a dog rip the side off a shed?

Anyway I'm just venting. It's been a terrible day and I'm out of tears.

This situation irritates me no end. I'm sorry you had to lose everyone.

Call animal control, see if they can give you traps to catch them. If you catch them, have animal control pick them up. There's a fee for the owners to retrieve their pets, hit their pocketbook.
Ask them if you can shoot nuisance dogs on your property.
Find out if your county has leash laws.
Videotape them running on your property and chasing your stock.

In my area the police could care less, but animal control understand protecting stock, and while they won't do anything, they're willing to tell you what you can do.
If you go the shoot route, make sure you have videos of them harassing stock first.

Oh, and call animal control everytime the dogs are on your property. They will get sick of those dogs too.

Edit. This worked for me. Word gets around that dogs on your property get shot. Plus we had horses that would chase dogs and an extremely secure pen with an area chickens could fly into, but dogs couldn't reach. Only problem now is NEW neighbors who think property in the country means property lines don't count.
EDIT2. I may catch heck for this, but when you're shooting at a moving object bounding through tall grass at 100+ feet, it can be hard to make a kill shot. Owners don't like vet bills either.
Keep in mind, this happened when surrounded by dead chickens and an extremely sneaky repeat offender who absolutely knew what it was doing would get it in trouble.

 

[Sea Wolf]

WthrLady gave you the correct information. Call animal control again and force the issue. In addition, get a good rifle and wait for the dogs to come back. They will .. and probably go after the horses again. You either shoot the dogs, or you will be shooting a horse with a broken leg. The owners have already shown you that they do not care. Do not shoot into the air trying to scare the dogs. Shoot the dogs. Next will be someone elses pets/livestock or their kids. Loose dogs like this do not act like happy pets. They are in a killing mode and are dangerous. I own dogs .. I own huskies .. With owners like that, they will be back and you need to do what you have to do. As for the damage to the shed .. this shows you just how determined these dogs are to kill something and what they are capable of. The jaw strength of a pit is beyond comprehension and these dogs are working together as a pack. The 3S's have already been mentioned. Shoot, shovel and shut up. Kill them, dispose of the carcasses and do the entire neighborhood a favor.

 

[Darlene E]

The jaw strength of a pit is beyond comprehension.

This is so true. I once had a pit (sweetest dog ever - but did not like being confined) who repeatedly ATE THROUGH a chain-link fence to escape the yard. We put up a wooden privacy fence instead and he ripped the boards off to escape. Started using a "tie-out" that was just long enough for him to not reach the fence line. One of those plastic covered, heavy duty wire ones - he ate through that. Had to resort to an actual chain - and even though it ended up with teeth marks all over it, he wasn't able to bite through it.

I agree with what so many others have said.

The 3S's have already been mentioned. Shoot, shovel and shut up. Kill them, dispose of the carcasses and do the entire neighborhood a favor.

 

[jcoz]

I'm sorry for your loss. I agree with Sea Wolf. Dogs behave how they are raised. If they are raised by a-holes, they become a-holes. That's the sad part of it all. Chances are, if animal control does get off of their arses and do their job, the dogs will go to a shelter, won't be able to be rehabbed, and would be euthanized anyhow. I don't know your local laws, but again I agree with Sea Wolf. I'm blessed with great neighbors, but some people (using the word in loose terms) need not own pets and should be chemically castrated.

 

[wolfpak]

First of all, I am so terribly sorry for your horrible experience with losing your beloved flock. We lost all of our remaining 3 chickens, 1 rooster, and a lone guinea fowl last night to a wild predator of some sort in the evening. I understand. It's horrible.

A few thoughts to consider - those dogs are a serious menace, VERY dangerous. They'll be back. Please be prepared, as you, yourself, are in danger from them. Anything with enough prey drive to demolish a coop is a large, powerful, predator. Please call the Sheriff Dept back again. Speak to the Sheriff, PERSONALLY, have the Deputy/ies come out to your place and show them the damage the dogs did to your coop.
Also, consider filing a small claims lawsuit for the cost of the coop. You have Deputies that witnessed bloody chicken feathers over at the young male owner's residence. A judge in small claims court might likely have a different opinion than the Deputy did, regarding this evidence. I hope you took some pictures of your destroyed coop, as well.
Be sure you have a larger caliber firearm for the next time the dogs come back. Not a .22, not buckshot. These are DANGEROUS, VICIOUS, LARGE, POWERFUL, PREDATORS. They could easily kill you.

Several years ago were 2 young women out jogging over in Carroll County, IN, who were attacked by a pack of 4 pitbull type dogs. The did not stop until a passerby drove her Jeep out into the field, and the women were able to get inside the vehicle, despite the owner having run to the scene to stop the dogs' attack. The dogs did not stop, and bit the owner, too. One of the women had to be life flighted by helicopter to Indy. The other woman was covered in bites, as well.

Having experienced a similar situation with a large unfriendly neighbor dog killing a 30 lb farm animal in our barn while living in Indiana, and neighbors allowing it to continue to roam in our pasture and barn, I can personally recommend a .308
At the time my son weighed less than this animal that was killed by the dog.

We are serious dog lovers and rescuers, as well. But this dog was nasty and vicious, with a taste for blood.

We called the Sheriff regarding the animal the dog had killed. The neighbor came by at the time of the Deputy's arrival, early evening, and admitted said dog had come home covered in blood, spoke of taking it to the vet.... etc. That never happened. The next morning it was running free.

So, that afternoon we target practiced. The next day the dog was loose, laying in our pasture in the afternoon. Shortly thereafter it was back in the barn, this time after the calves. Neighbors were then instructed to retrieve their dog from our barn.

Their teen son contacted the Sheriff's Dept., inquiring as to if something could be done about their now deceased dog. He was informed that, "Yes, there definitely IS something the sheriff's dept. can do about this situation. We can issue a citation against you for allowing it to run at large."

In hindsight there are a couple of additional steps I would take:
1- Contact the Sheriff Dept myself, regarding the citation, insist it be written on day one.
2- File a legal claim against the neighbor for max. damages, the value of the livestock, expenses involved in raising it, including the cost of one .308 shell.
-----------------------------

IC 15-20-2-1Liability of owner or harborer
Sec. 1. If a dog kills or injures any livestock while the livestock is in the care, custody, and control of the livestock's owner or the owner's agent, the owner or harborer of the dog is liable to the owner of the livestock for all damages sustained, including reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.
[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-5-7-1.]
As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.11.

IC 15-20-2-2Authority to kill dog injuring livestock
Sec. 2. A person who observes a dog in the act of killing or injuring livestock may kill the dog if the person has the consent of the person in possession of the real estate on which the dog is found.
[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-5-7-2.]
As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.11.

 

[wolfpak]

Regarding the 4 neighbor dogs that attacked the 2 young women out jogging
https://www.wthr.com/article/owner-...ty-attack-surrenders-to-police-graphic-images

"A 20-year-old woman remains in critical condition today after being attacked by a pack of dogs in rural Carroll County."
https://www.pharostribune.com/news/local_news/article_7e741c50-6928-11e5-a4b5-2f7a0707d0ee.html

"Richard Darter, 51, was sentenced to eight years in prison - one year for each count of dog bite liability. He was also ordered to pay restitution."
https://www.wishtv.com/top-video/carroll-county-man-sentenced-for-pit-bull-attack/1116465944

 

[Darlene E]

So, that afternoon we target practiced. The next day the dog was loose, laying in our pasture in the afternoon. Shortly thereafter it was back in the barn, this time after the calves. Neighbors were then instructed to retrieve their dog from our barn.

Well done.

 

[yickenscarf23]

There's reports with the police and with animal control. They'll definitely be shot if I see them again. I drive by their house several times a day to run to town or the gas station and I'm always ready to call animal control if I see them.

I've run into a lot of "well it was JUST some chickens" and I get heated and ask what happens when it's "JUST a child" next time. So far I haven't seen them back. I assume the owners will keep them tied up for a week or two and then give up on being responsible and we will get a chance at them.

 

[yickenscarf23]

There's reports with the police and with animal control. They'll definitely be shot if I see them again. I drive by their house several times a day to run to town or the gas station and I'm always ready to call animal control if I see them.

I've run into a lot of "well it was JUST some chickens" and I get heated and ask what happens when it's "JUST a child" next time. So far I haven't seen them back. I assume the owners will keep them tied up for a week or two and then give up on being responsible and we will get a chance at them.