Can I kill those dogs?

[Namble]

Every now and then random neighborhood dogs will come in my yard and go after my chickens. And when I catch them digging I run and go get my gun. But I was told by the Sheriff's office I can shoot a dog unless its in my coop attacking my chickens. I was like WHAT! I am not going to sit there and wait for some mutt to get into my chicken coop before I can shoot it. Just wanted to hear what you guys thought. thanks

 

[enola]

Maybe Animal Control will loan you a trap to catch them with. Then they can take the dog home and inform the owners what is going to happen if they come back to your house again.

Or you could take pictures of them digging before you run them off. Give the pictures to Animal Control, tell them where the dog lives and send them over to explain the laws to the owners.

 

[jbowen9]

Here is the easy fix let the dog just about dig in then shoot it and drag it in the pen but first i would try and find its owner and explain to them of what is going to happen if their dogs keep coming back
If all else fails use this method SSS

 

[The Chicken People]

Contact your neighbors to advise them of the problem and put up a sign to let them know...proud chicken owner will shoot agressive dogs!

 

[saddina]

Quote:
There's a good chance the sheriff is incorrect, usually threatening or harassing "livestock" is what most laws say. Google your city & livestock laws, it may take some searching but you may be pleasently surprised.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Unfortunately, it is how the local law "understands" and "explains" the law. Many times you can't shoot a "predator" until you catch it IN THE ACT OF attacking your livestock. That is the law here as well, and not only pertains to dogs, but any predators such as fox and whatnot.

In your case, I would invest in a fence skirt. It is fencing that lays around your coop and prevents these dogs from actually digging into the coop.

If you wanted to take an offensive measure to the situation, obtain a livetrap and trap the dogs. If the dogs are friendly, simply put them on a leash. Haul them off to the pound and let them deal with it. If the dogs are loved and cared for, they will be paid for and taken home and precautions made to keep from having to "repay" to release their animals from animal control. If they are not loved and cared for, the animals would be put up for adoption or humanely euthanised. I find it personally easier to take an animal TO the pound than it is to call and wait for animal control to come. Here, it can take a full day or more for that animal control truck to come in and pick up an animal.

I like this method, because there is little to no confrontation. No dead dog to explain to your neighbors, you do have to live next to them afterall. And you don't have to sit idly by, calling and complaining to animal control that there is a dog digging in your yard. Because that is how animal control will handle it UNTIL you have a feathered fatality. I also like this method because it brings more authority into the situation. The owners have to make a concious effort to go, pay, and pick up their dog from animal control, even if it is multiple times. And I'm sure, if they have to do it often enough animal control is going to take notice and issue warnings. If they have to pay enough money out of their pocket to bring their animal home, they WILL take measures to control it or rehome it.

-Kim

 

[speckledhen]

I do agree that the best defense for penned up birds is a good dig barrier. I also, in addition to folding a "skirt" outward, collect large flat rocks or just very heavy ones of any shape, and place them on top of that skirt area. No way here to bury fencing (mountainous terrain) That obviously won't stop a climbing dog and I've seen smaller dogs actually climb a fence, but a good defense there is a higher than normal fence and leaving the top a bit loose so when they climb, the fence bends backward a bit and dumps them off.

 

[jenni2142]

You need to check the actual wording of the laws in your area, often sheriff and police officers are wrong. County law here says I may shoot if dogs are worrying, harassing, or killing on my property either livestock or poultry. good luck.

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
What does "SSS" stand for?

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
What does "SSS" stand for?

shoot shovel and shut up