- May 4, 2009
- 586
- 8
- 129
Quote:
The great thing about the laws that protect chicken owners when they shoot predatory dogs on their own property is that these same laws also protect you and your choice to not shoot them. Everyone needs to deal with their predators in a way that is best for them. Some people are more tolerant towards roaming dogs and choose to do nothing and allow predators to get to their chickens, and others will shoot them. It's not always an easy decision to shoot a dog, it's actually pretty horrible for me, but it's just something that needs to be done to protect one's property and even one's self.
People don't shoot dogs just because the law says they can. At least *I* don't. I shoot dogs because dog owners refuse to contain their dogs and they come here to damage my property and put my own animals (all of them, not just chickens) at risk. The fact that the law says we can is our defense, not our reason. The reason is because someone else is breaking a law and allowing their animals to hurt my animals. It's not an excuse, I don't need an excuse to defend my property. It's my right.
As someone who free ranges chickens, I am not "shocked* that predators come (if they come). I am determined to give my chickens the healthiest management that I can. For me, that's free ranging them on my own property. I'm not shocked that my neighbor's dogs barrel down my field, just because my neighbor lets them out of their pens to do exactly that, knowing fully well that that's what they're up to. Rather than shocked, I'm disgusted.
With all due respect, It's easy to pass judgement on someone when you only have a few occurences. But if someone purposely let their dogs on your property to destroy your animals and cause other damage, I think you'd have a change of heart. A lof of us have neighbors who simply let their dogs out. They don't care about their neighbors and what their dogs are up to. And frankly, I really don't believe they care about the dog in question, otherwise they would protect it by containing it. Again, it's not just the chickens at risk. In addition, the fact is having your neighbor's dogs attacking your chickens isn't as offensive to you as it is to others. But something is. And when that line is crossed, I'm betting you'll take action. In the meantime, having one's chickens attacked by roaming dogs is very serious to some people. It's hurtful, it's horrifying, it's expensive, it's cruel and it's completely unnecessary - whether the chickens are cooped or free ranged.
If you choose to be more tolerant in these situations, that's the right decision for you. We all have to live with ourselves and if you don't think you could destroy animals that destroy your animals, then you shouldn't do it. But it's not wrong for others to take more action to protect their own. It's *right* for them. My neighbors allow their dogs to not only destroy my animals, but their own as well. Now that's wrong. To purposely let out animals that you know will do nothing but destroy is hateful.
The great thing about the laws that protect chicken owners when they shoot predatory dogs on their own property is that these same laws also protect you and your choice to not shoot them. Everyone needs to deal with their predators in a way that is best for them. Some people are more tolerant towards roaming dogs and choose to do nothing and allow predators to get to their chickens, and others will shoot them. It's not always an easy decision to shoot a dog, it's actually pretty horrible for me, but it's just something that needs to be done to protect one's property and even one's self.
People don't shoot dogs just because the law says they can. At least *I* don't. I shoot dogs because dog owners refuse to contain their dogs and they come here to damage my property and put my own animals (all of them, not just chickens) at risk. The fact that the law says we can is our defense, not our reason. The reason is because someone else is breaking a law and allowing their animals to hurt my animals. It's not an excuse, I don't need an excuse to defend my property. It's my right.
As someone who free ranges chickens, I am not "shocked* that predators come (if they come). I am determined to give my chickens the healthiest management that I can. For me, that's free ranging them on my own property. I'm not shocked that my neighbor's dogs barrel down my field, just because my neighbor lets them out of their pens to do exactly that, knowing fully well that that's what they're up to. Rather than shocked, I'm disgusted.
With all due respect, It's easy to pass judgement on someone when you only have a few occurences. But if someone purposely let their dogs on your property to destroy your animals and cause other damage, I think you'd have a change of heart. A lof of us have neighbors who simply let their dogs out. They don't care about their neighbors and what their dogs are up to. And frankly, I really don't believe they care about the dog in question, otherwise they would protect it by containing it. Again, it's not just the chickens at risk. In addition, the fact is having your neighbor's dogs attacking your chickens isn't as offensive to you as it is to others. But something is. And when that line is crossed, I'm betting you'll take action. In the meantime, having one's chickens attacked by roaming dogs is very serious to some people. It's hurtful, it's horrifying, it's expensive, it's cruel and it's completely unnecessary - whether the chickens are cooped or free ranged.
If you choose to be more tolerant in these situations, that's the right decision for you. We all have to live with ourselves and if you don't think you could destroy animals that destroy your animals, then you shouldn't do it. But it's not wrong for others to take more action to protect their own. It's *right* for them. My neighbors allow their dogs to not only destroy my animals, but their own as well. Now that's wrong. To purposely let out animals that you know will do nothing but destroy is hateful.
