Do dog owners just not care anymore?

[boykin2010]

Do dog owners just not care any more? Long story short 4 dogs came onto my property today and I saw them running from the road. I saw the running straight toward my chicken coop so I grabbed my bb gun and went outside. I had no plans on shooting them but they were after the chickens trying to dig and get in. One dog was a beagle mix, one was a chocolate lab, one was a coonhound and the other was another bird dog mix. The beagle was closest so I shot it in the butt and it yelped and ran half way across my yard. The other dogs didn’t stop so I shot the chocolate lab in the butt and it ran off ( it didn’t seem to hurt it it just walked off ) towards my sheep pasture. The mix followed the beagle and the only one left was the coondog and it was still trying to get in. I shot it and I know I hit it but it didn’t seem to hurt it at all. It just stood there looking confused and started walking up to me??? As it turns out the dog was friendly so I didn’t shoot it. Oh and did I mention that during all of this it is flooding outside!!! The coondog then walks into my garage and makes himself at home and will NOT Leave! I threw it out but it would walk right in. Then some kids were standing at the gate of my property and were calling the dogs but the dogs weren’t coming. I loaded up the coon dog and drove it down to them ( in the pouring rain )and then they said it wasn’t theirs. The beagle was theirs and it soon ran up to them. The mix ran up too and I loaded it up in the back of my golfcart. I drove the kids home and they unloaded their beagle and the lady whose was the owner of the mix walked up. She said Oh sorry about that if he ever gets out again just bring him back to me you know where I live at…. 
The lady said she let him run loose during the day but at night she put them up! I told her I have sheep, donkey, turkeys and chickens and that I don’t want any dogs killing them. She said she would TRY to keep an eye on him! I drove back home and the chocolate lab was standing at my sheep pasture about to go in after my bottle baby and my guardian donkey. I shot him in the butt again and he ran off ( I hope to his house )
GAH why cant dog owners be more responsible??? I have a dog and she never gets out and runs off. I have an electric collar on her. It isn’t fair for me to keep my dog at home in a small area and their dogs get to run all over the place…

Anyway I didn’t want to shoot them but I had to get them to leave… I couldn’t call the animal shelter because it is Saturday.

Is it illegal to shoot dogs that haven’t killed anything yet? I think it is considered animal abuse but I am not sure? Can anyone help me out? I don’t want to get into trouble if the dogs owners find out that I shot their dogs with a bb gun. I really don’t think it hurt them because I didn’t pump it up much and I stood a good distance back.
Oh and I still don’t know who owns the coon dog but he isn’t at my house anymore.

 

[dainerra]

GA law regarding dogs and livestock:

§ 4-8-4. Liability for damage done by dogs

(a) The owner or, if no owner can be found, the custodian exercising care and control over any dog which goes upon the land of another and causes injury, death, or damage directly or indirectly to any livestock or poultry shall be civilly liable to the owner of the livestock or poultry for damages, death, or injury caused by the dog. The liability of the owner or custodian of the dog shall include consequential damages.

(b) This Code section is to be considered cumulative of other remedies provided by law. There is no intent to do away with or limit other causes of action which might inure to the owner of any livestock or poultry.

Laws 1969, p. 831, § 4.
§ 4-8-5. Performing cruel acts on, or harming, maiming or killing dogs

(a) No person shall perform a cruel act on any dog; nor shall any person harm, maim, or kill any dog, or attempt to do so, except that a person may:

(1) Defend his person or property, or the person or property of another, from injury or damage being caused by a dog; or

(2) Kill any dog causing injury or damage to any livestock or poultry.

(b) The method used for killing the dog shall be designed to be as humane as is possible under the circumstances. A person who humanely kills a dog under the circumstances indicated in subsection (a) of this Code section shall incur no liability for such death.

(c) This Code section shall not be construed to limit in any way the authority or duty of any law enforcement officer, dog or rabies control officer, humane society, or veterinarian.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

The way I see it, owners who let their dogs roam do not care about them. Then I also assume they don't care if their dogs come home from their roaming. In the county I live in, it is legal to shoot (with deadly force) any dog the HARASSES livestock. Check your local livestock laws, or simply call AC when they are open. Another option would be to load those dogs up and drive them to the pound. If their owners truely want them back, they'll have to pay a reclaim fee and little dents in their wallets might make them think twice before opening their door. If they don't want them back, well- at least they'll be outta your hair. Or in this case, feathers. Good luck!

 

[speckledhen]

In this state, you have a right to kill any dog outright for just harassing your livestock or poultry (GA makes a difference between the two). Obviously, the owners really don't care so I'd just do what's necessary to protect your animals.

 

[southerndesert]

Here in AZ laws are very similar and a dog can be shot for just "worrying" livestock or poultry with BB, Pellet, shotgun, pistol, or rifle, in other words it is up to the discretion of the livestock or poultry owner to decide how serious the problem is and deal with it in their own way. But in city limits you MAY NOT discharge a firearm legally unless in fear for your life.... So you could end up in big trouble discharging a firearm within in city limits, but rural is much different and being aware of "overlapping" laws can save you a peck of trouble.

I use a very high power air rifle that is .177 or .22 cal (pellet gun) that is every bit as powerful as a .22 rifle because we have some fairly close neighbors even though we are rural. They cost more than your standard BB or beginner pellet gun and are very efficient, believe it or not they make air rifles that will bring down big game as well and a Google search will often amaze folks at what they didn't know about air rifles

I have seen some say they will not do the job and the low end ones will not, but spend around 150.00 to 200.00 and up for a hunting grade air rifle and you can take out even a coyote and I know this from experience...

It is an option for those in city limits....



Edit cause didn't use spell CK....

 

[dancingsquirrel]

I've heard that dog is delicious bbq'd.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

"next time he gets out just bring him home, you know where I live now."


REALLY? that's YOUR job now? HELL NO.

 

[Stacykins]

Quote:
Did you know that Lewis and Clark's men actually preferred the taste of dog meat to elk and venison? During their expedition many dogs were bought from the Native Americans to be eaten, and not just when nothing else was available! Lewis was cool with it, Clark couldn't bear to eat a dog!

 

[bertman]

A lot of it is ignorance and lack of concern for anything but their dog.

When I was young I used to let my dog run loose during the day. Then I was informed about some evil deeds that he was doing while on his daily jaunts. Needless to say, I kept him restrained after that. (Even if the neighbor had not threatened to kill him, I still would have kept him in. Really.)

In my case, it was just being ignorant of the fact that dogs like to run around and kill things. I SHOULD have known that, but it didn't occur to me at the time.

If my dog had disappeared I surely would have known why. Now your neighbor knows the same. She sounds like a smarta--.

Where I live, if you kill a dog that is harassing or stalking your livestock it's considered justifiable homicide by most of the citizenry--especially owners of livestock. Not legal, mind you, but not criminal either.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Seems there is more and more of this going on...I wonder if people are in such financial trouble that they are not feeding their dogs? Just a thought and absolutely no excuse for letting dogs run wild ...if I were the OP I would get a better gun.