Crazy gun toting neighbour and his dogs

[Chickenclaude]

Wow! Hot wire can protect your birds, but for the people ? All that I can think of is an enclosed area in perhaps the back yard also protected by hot wire so that your child is safe. Good luck this sounds like an untenable position to be in. Ironic that my wife and I just found a ledger that she wrote on a trip to Australia/New Zealand for our 40th anniversary. One recurring theme was the high caliber of the folks that we met in each country. I thought that we had a higher preponderance of nutjobs here in the US.

Ditto. Hot wire your chicks inside your fenced in area. One zap and most dogs are sissies. The old man however? IDK

 

[Chickenclaude]

Sounds all legal to me. Firearms in Australia are not in my legal notebook, but here in the US we carry, shoot and generally we find that an armed citizenry is a polite citizenry.

Oh, there are some socialist/communists who want to erase the US Constitution... like in California, New Jersey and New York.

But the tide is changing when even liberals are now standing in line to buy firearms since this Covid-19 thing broke out and they fear for their lives. .

Calling the police here is pretty much useless... they arrive in time to draw chalk outlines on the floor around dead bodies.

Police response time where I live can be an hour or more.You might be found dead, on hold waiting to talk to the police on the phone when they finally arrive.

In your situation... there is always the 2% rule where the oddball person may push the legal limits and you might have a 2%er as a neighbor.

Most people with firearms, however..... are seriously responsible and are diligently obeying the laws. Perhaps if you invite the guy over for whatever Aussies percieve as a snack food and talk it over.... perhaps letting him know of your baby's situation. It can't hurt.

But you are a SUBJECT to your archaic kings, queens, dukes, princes or their current offspring: Prime Ministers and as such, you have no real rights, only civic responsibilities.

The US, however, has CITIZENS who went to war with the Brits when they tried to disarm the general civilian militia. It didn't work.... in case you forgot.

Again... try talking... it's cheap and you might have a real friend there after all.

You only need to let the neighbor know that there is a baby...some balloons —announcing banner — get creative—be friendly (wave). He might just be a lonely old man. But wire up the chicken coop.

 

[Nebraska islander]

So, we’re moving onto my partners Mums property. I’ve ordered a heavy duty dog run for a temporary fix and I’ve got a small coop already that will suffice. Here’s my problem:

we’ll be out on the far side of the property next to an old war veteran who is literally bonkers.He shoots his gun all day everyday and he’s now decided to let his dogs roam free.. meaning they come onto her Mums property and harass her chooks and ducks and dogs and will eat the chooks if they have the chance. They’ve already killed quite a few animals... The man can not be spoken to and WILL NOT tie his dogs up. I’m going to wire the top and bottom of my cages but I’ve got some nice show birds and I don’t want to risk it. We can’t really call council because the neighbor can have a go at her Mum for things If he really wanted to be an ass.. which he is. We also have a new baby and our dog and I don’t want to be afraid and confined in my house. They’re apparently crazy cattle dogs and you “shouldn’t even get close to them”. I love all animals and I don’t want to do anything like trap and relocate or bait.. but with the man being a lunatic, talking like civilised people isn’t an option either. Like I’m concerned about my chooks but at this point they’re so nuts I have to worry about my family’s safety as well. Any advice?

Install electric fencer to keep him and his dogs off property. Install / Roll out a green mesh privacy fence so he can't see your direction. His dogs kill your animals you have right to see that animal as a threat to you and your livestock and self defense will be on your side.
Call your local mental health dept and if you make enough complaints they may be able to commit him. Or find his relatives and ask them to intervene. The veterans administration should be able to suggest a direction to get him help to chill out.

 

[Nebraska islander]

If that doesn't work report him as a domestic terrorist! That won't go univestigated. He may need a week mental health evaluation.

Install electric fencer to keep him and his dogs off property. Install / Roll out a green mesh privacy fence so he can't see your direction. His dogs kill your animals you have right to see that animal as a threat to you and your livestock and self defense will be on your side.
Call your local mental health dept and if you make enough complaints they may be able to commit him. Or find his relatives and ask them to intervene. The veterans administration should be able to suggest a direction to get him help to chill out.

 

[WhiteWaterLady]

When we lived in town, a lot of people let their dogs run free at night. The "dog catcher" was part of the local "Good Ol' Boys" club so he'd pick them up when I complained about them harassing my rabbits, but the next night, they'd be back. I finally got out my pellet gun and started "pinging" the pack leaders in their hind quarters. No injuries, but the "bite" of the pellet gun convinced them to leave my rabbits alone. One of my neighbors here has dogs and has told me right up front that if any of his dogs get on my property, PLEASE hit them with a pellet gun to teach them to stay away. Pellets sting like the dickens but unless it's a tiny dog, they won't really injure the dog. And they're a LOT cheaper than electric fence!!!!!

Good luck, and congrats on the new baby!

 

[WhiteWaterLady]

Is it even legal to shoot a gun in your backyard like that? That’s definitely something I’d check on because even in areas that you can hunt, you can’t just randomly shoot

Given what he said about the size of the property, I seriously doubt there are restrictions on shooting - except maybe not in the direction of houses. Country living is WAY different from city!

 

[jspeese]

Constructing a strong, predator-proof coop and run is always your best bet. I may draw criticism for this, but if I have constructed such a coop and run, i.e., taken all reasonable measures, and something like an untrained dog still comes on my land and tries to get my birds, I believe in the 3 S's: shoot, shovel, shut up. Untrained, unruly unsupervised dogs are varmints and vermin, not to mention dangerous. Some may say it's only a dog doing what a dog naturally does, but the same can be said for a mosquito. I don't know anyone who wouldn't swat one!

 

[MountainWoman73]

Dogs can be the worst predators. I'm sorry you're having to deal with that. I can understand refusing to keep your dog chained or fenced -- I don't tie or fence mine,and neither do my neighbors. But that requires communication and relationships. I would try taking him a dozen eggs or a pie sometime. See if he responds. If you can interact in a positive way a few times, he might be more open to a conversation about the dogs later on. Maybe work together on training them or a fence. I have had both success and failure winning over difficult neighbors with eggs and pie. It might not work at all! But when it does, it's worth the effort.

 

[Jan Croot]

1. He was there first. Its up to you to find some accommodation. Put your preconceived notions aside for a minute, and stop assuming his is an irredeemable horror show. Breath.

2. Drop off a "Hi, I'm your new neighbor" box with baked goods, maybe some jam and a good sized bottle of whisky. Include PICTURES of you and the BABY and your prize BIRDS, and a letter kindly introducing yourselves. And maybe at the end hint you are afraid of the dogs.

3. Let him think on that for two or three weeks and he'll go into solutions mode on his own if you don't push him. Push him and he'll push back.

4. Old guys are like cats. If you run after then, they run away. Sit still and they come to you, slowly.

 

[Jan Croot]

Is it even legal to shoot a gun in your backyard like that? That’s definitely something I’d check on because even in areas that you can hunt, you can’t just randomly shoot

Depend on where you are.

If you live in an active sheep and cattle farming region like I do, varmints are fair game at all times. If a coyote is passing through, we call the next ranch were it is headed, and one hears shots up the valley until he is ended.

One rancher's sheep dog went rogue, taking out cats, raccoons and skunks, and then started going after poultry. The local game warden was clear: if someone's dog goes after your livelihood, shoot it and shut up about it.

It really depends on local culture and laws.