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Fencing can be expensive and it's not the OP's responsibility to keep her neighbors' dogs off her property. It's the dog owner's responsiblity to fence in their dog other do whatever it takes to keep their dog in.
If people can afford to put up fences, that's GREAT. And they should do so, but again, it's not YOUR responsilbilty to take on the financial burden of keeping your neighbors' animals off you.
All true, all part of the reality.
And once you get you some chickens, you end up facing some more realities:
1. Dogs know nothing of property lines or owners responsibilities...
They know a chicken dinner when they smell one, though.
2. Pet owners and neighbors run the gamut from responsible citizen, to anarchist...
Some are simply decent people caught off-guard, themselves.
3. What or Who is "right" means nothing, when you're looking at your dead chickens...
As we say here in Dixie, "Done is over and dead is dead."
4. Your chickens are depending on you to protect them...
They can't do it for themselves, since they are but mere chickens.
5. Maybe the cops can help, but maybe they won't...
If in doubt refer to #3.
6. It isn't about blame... when you're at that point, it's already too late.
At the end of the day, some part of the the onus - the responsibility - falls on you, like it or not.
No one wants to have bad things happen; we want good things to happen to us because we're good people. We want good neighbors that are never negligent. If bad things do happen, then we want it to be painless with swift and sure justice to follow.
And maybe we'll get these things... and maybe not.
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If you're gonna have chickens you have to accept that almost anything can go wrong.
That said, it's evident that the only guarantee any of us can depend on is that which we can arrange ourselves.
There are far too many of these sad, "I NEVER thought it would happen to me," stories for us to ignore one important lesson:
It just might happen to you, regardless of any notions to the contrary.
Knowing that, an ounce of prevention will always beat a pound of cure. Part of being a responsible steward to your animals is doing your homework and getting ahead of problems, before they arrive at the coop door.
These comments are in no way meant as a heartless condemnation of anyone, least of all the OP. I've had this happen myself, to my own chickens, so I can empathize in my own way.
That this happens at all, though, should alert the next person to take heed - and take steps ahead of time.
Fortunately, strong barriers and electric wire that will ward off even large dogs are not very costly, when you consider all that they protect. No, they're not perfect. But, they sure beat many of the alternatives.
Just my $.02 worth.