Dogs more important than Chickens?

[aviatrix85]

I recently had an issue come up that got me thinking. I had a few dogs attack my chickens and I contacted the owner within my neighborhood chat.

A few people have made comments like: “a dog is my child” and “a dog is more important than your chickens”

“If you would shoot a dog, I hope you wouldn’t shoot a child”

I don’t agree that a dog is the equivalent to a child. They are animals.

Do you all believe it’s acceptable to protect your chickens against all predators? (Including someone’s dog)

The law states I can kill a dog attacking my chickens. Hopefully, more people can be aware of this issue so they can protect their own animals.

We ended up putting up an electric fence.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

People have different viewpoints on that. Just like how it's usually morally acceptable to eat a chicken but not a dog

 

[aviatrix85]

People have different viewpoints on that. Just like how it's usually morally acceptable to eat a chicken but not a dog

My viewpoint is that I will kill a dog if it attacks my chickens.

 

[Pigeony]

If a dog really was like their child, they'd take better care of it to keep it from wandering into other people's yards and into situations out of their control. You don't let toddlers wander out into the world with no supervision and just hope they'll come back. Their dogs are their responsibility and if anything were to happen to them outside, it's on their heads first and foremost because they're the ones who let the dog get out of their supervision/property in the first place, either purposefully or through carelessness. I dislike when people act like they love their pets so much but let them spend hours and hours outside unattended and unpenned with no real idea what they're actually up to or what kind of situations they're facing, with dogs as well but especially with cats.

If a dog came into my yard and attacked my chickens, I would hurt it with the intent to kill in order to protect my flock. And if I ever met the owners, I would chew them out for letting their dog ever get into that situation because I don't want to have to be doing that and they would have made the situation happen in the first place. I love dogs, I have a dog, but I don't think the life of a random dog who is currently attacking my chickens is worth more than my flock's lives.

 

[TOMTE]

I don't think it's necessarily fair to kill somebody's dog for attacking your chickens. Strays/ferals are one thing, but a dog with a home and a family... That's kind of cruel. It'd be better to have a serious talk in person with the owner(s) about keeping their dog(s) away from your property, whether they need to build a fence or work on training or both. If they refuse to cooperate you could always get the county/law enforcement involved, since I think it would technically be destruction of property for the dogs to come in and kill your chickens

I hope the electric fence helps so nobody needs to get hurt!

 

[puddle_drinker]

My viewpoint is that I will kill a dog if it attacks my chickens.

I think Joel Salatin said it best "Shoot, shovel, shut up."

 

[Worm94]

I personally do believe it's acceptable to protect my birds against all predators. If someone's irresponsible enough with their dog that it escapes and attacks my chickens, how can they compare it to a child? No one would be that irresponsible with a child and children are a lot more capable of learning and growing anyway.
Dogs are animals just like chickens, but dogs are predators and ought to be treated as such because they can harm people including children, and other animals.
My chickens are my pets and my livestock and they're immeasureably valuable to me because of all the work I've put in with them. Some are more pet than other.
So yeah if someone's dog came after my birds I would do what I had to do.

 

[Pigeony]

I personally do believe it's acceptable to protect my birds against all predators. If someone's irresponsible enough with their dog that it escapes and attacks my chickens, how can they compare it to a child? No one would be that irresponsible with a child and children are a lot more capable of learning and growing anyway.
Dogs are animals just like chickens, but dogs are predators and ought to be treated as such because they can harm people including children, and other animals.
My chickens are my pets and my livestock and they're immeasureably valuable to me because of all the work I've put in with them. Some are more pet than other.
So yeah if someone's dog came after my birds I would do what I had to do.

Exactly my point! You put it perfectly.

 

[TOMTE]

Of course there is a lot of nuance to this situation and you need to do what you feel needs to be done to protect your flock. But communication is key imo. A family dog isn't any more "important" than livestock, but a family dog IS part of the family. The owners need to take responsibility for their dogs for everybody's health and safety

 

[puddle_drinker]

I don't think it's necessarily fair to kill somebody's dog for attacking your chickens. Strays/ferals are one thing, but a dog with a home and a family... That's kind of cruel. It'd be better to have a serious talk in person with the owner(s) about keeping their dog(s) away from your property, whether they need to build a fence or work on training or both. If they refuse to cooperate you could always get the county/law enforcement involved, since I think it would technically be destruction of property for the dogs to come in and kill your chickens

I hope the electric fence helps so nobody needs to get hurt!

A non-lethal solution is to capture the dog, especially if it's friendly, and deliver it to the county animal control department. In some places they will hold the animal until restitution is made by the owner to replace the cost of the animals killed. Take lots of pictures as evidence.