Dog killed a duck, I asked for $50....

[domino7]

Yea, he's got a $3000 dog that he lets run free, and can't come up with $50. Personally, I think $50 is very reasonable. It seems like he should be embarassed, and happy to still have a dog.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

It's irresponsible to let your dog run loose, leash law or not but if he has a 3k dog it's also really stupid. Sorry about your duck and that you had to deal with your neighbor that way. Hope it all works out and he pays you eventually. $50 sounds very reasonable to me. You can try craigslist to find a replacement without having to go the non sexed duckling route.

 

[CityChicker]

So, *his* dog kills *your* duck and *he* is upset with you? Good Lord.

I understand your point of view and why you feel the way you do about the situation. I really do. You sometimes have to pick your battles, as it seems you know. I think you were very fair. In actuality, $50 probably will not even cover replacing your bird unless you can find one locally. You could order 2 females (don't think they will sell just one) from somewhere like Metzers, but will have to pay the minimum bird charge (not sure, but think it is $25-30), plus the small order fee, and shipping. That might be an option though if the guy does give you the $50 and you can't find a bird locally.

It is so sad that people must be this way when their animal does something like this. I have very little understanding anymore for people that let their dogs run wild. I'm sorry you lost your bird. Hopefully, the guy will at least come through for you.

 

[Kittymomma]

You weren't being unreasonable, but please do document this with your local pd or animal control. When our neighbors moved out here from town several years ago their dogs came over and tried to dig out my dd's rabbit hutch--wouldn't leave with me yelling and only got them out of the yard after several .22 rounds in the ground beside them. These are big dogs ranging from 120-140 so I wasn't going to try to put a leash on them. The both had shock collars on so I figured in the confusion of the move stuff didn't get turned on and no big deal.

Those darn dogs were over chasing cows and goats for over a year before I got animal services involved--finally did it because they were getting bolder and more serious about their chasing and the female was getting aggresive to my dog--turns out she was pregnant and they were going to just let her whelp the pups wherever she wanted to--did I mention they're wolf hybrids? They just kept saying they couldn't keep them contained and they'd make any losses right. Like I should understand and not worry about my critters getting harrassed and run into fences or worse because they'd pay for them. Even after animal control fined them they kept letting them run.

After the female got so aggresive I worried about her whelping down by the creek where my kids play and made it plain that I would shoot the dogs next time there was a problem. I haven't had any issues since though I know they still let them run at night--one was hit on the hwy. and the poor blind one got left by the rest of the pack and someone I know found him.

Anyhow, You made it plain that you didn't want to shoot the dogs and I can respect that, but from the sounds of this guy he's not going to be a responsible dog owner so this will probably happen again. If you document everything (with pictures when possible) animal control and/or your local pd will be in a better positon to help you.

As another poster mentioned shooting to injur can get you in trouble, but you should be safe if you were trying to drive it away from your livestock--I wouldn't say I was only trying to hurt it a little (though I think you were generous) just go with you were trying to save your ducks.

Best of luck with this situation and I'm very sorry you lost one of your ducks.

 

[Lucindahart]

You are 100% correct to charge $50 for your duck! If thats what it has cost you - that is what you should ask for - i think you are being really fair.

My neighbours cat picked off 3 pekin hens and the most beautiful Japanese Bamtam cock last year and I was so mad - particually as they said they wouldn't pay anything for the loss of them, and that they wouldn't even put a collar on teh cat with a bell to warn the chicks.

Unfortunatly my girls are used to my 5 cats - who pop in for a visit, but know its not a buffet!

Don't let him get away with it - he needs to look after his dog and make sure it doesn't come back and do the same again.

 

[Sissy]

You sure did do the right thing
. 50.00 is more then fair.
except out here,in our neck of the woods
He would have had to
pick his 3k dog with a shovel.

 

[Boyd]

Quote:
and out here where I live too. But to the OP, start carrying something a lil more powerful than a pellet gun for next time..because there WILL be one. Stupid is as stupid does... and this dog owner sounds like he should have won the forrest gump awards.

 

[cjeanean]

Thanks for the replies! I've never had to ask for compensation before, so I calculated actual expense and rounded down to a smaller number. I know times are tough, so I tried going to a minimum.

I asked him why he would let a 3k dog run around, and all he could say is that it's cause the dog isn't people aggressive....I don't know if the question actually made sense to him, cause he dropped that one real quick. I'm gonna call the sheriff and find out how much time I have to make a report just in case this guy doesn't come through.

Boyd, I can't have anything on my property that is anything other than air-propelled except for a muzzleloader, and I don't think it's legal to discharge a rifle as close as we are to neighbors. I wish I could get something more powerful than the pellet gun, but that thing has got some sting to it. My brother shot a deer through the head (not the eye, the HEAD) with a gun just like it and killed it on the spot (long story about mistaking it for a raccoon, he's lucky he was just a kid and the conservation dept understood). I totally hear u there, though.

Well, I guess we'll see what happens. I'll update if there's anything to add....Thanks again!

Christina

 

[deek248]

what kind of dog is worth 3k ??
my Chesapeak Bay Retrevier was the pick of the litter from champion field trial parents and he was only $600
He lets a so called 3k dog run loose???!! IDIOT. Ya can't fix stupid.

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
Birds program really well, however a belled cat just has dinner music - birds don't connect the bell sound with the cat until its happened so many times there are no birds left (personal experience *passes salt shaker*).