Dogs (Rant//WWYD)

[Tricorn]

Warning, long rant.

A neighbor down the road lets her dogs run free. She has a pack of 4 that roam all day. We have two young Pyrenees that usually manage to convince them to stay to the other side of the road, but they still come running by on a daily basis. We managed to save one hen before they killed her, but we estimate we've lost 8 of our flock to these dogs. The little rat terrier will dig under, the largest ones will exploit any loose area. Since we got our own dogs the big ones stay out but it looks like the little ones are still sneaking in.

It looks like thsi mornings victim was grabbed though the fence. We found her torn up on on the roadside, but there's a few of her feathers stuck in the wire.

The neighbor has been asked on multiple occasions to keep her dogs at home. We have already filed a police report, but that was last year and the police made it very clear they did not appreciate us calling them out on such 'trivial' matters. Best yet, there is no animal control in our county.

I am absolutely fed up with this. We are keeping every single 'important' chicken locked up, but our layers are spoiled and refuse to lay when confined to their run. So they're out and at risk because the neighbor is either too incompetent or lazy to fence/leash/house train her dogs and we need them to lay to pay for their feed. We've done almost everything in our power (and defiantly everything we can afford) to do to keep our hens safe, but because of one person's dogs we continue to lose our girls.

We can't do anything about the dogs either, since we can never catch them on our property. I hate making animals pay for their owners crimes, but I am just that fed up. These hens are fed soyfree/organic, they're expensive ot raise! Neighbor is never home except at odd hours to feed the dogs so I can't drag a carcass down there to wave in her face.

They said that unless we have visual proof it was her dogs we can't ask for damages. So I guess I get to go our there and hide with a camera?

End rant.

Are there any options to dealing with these dogs? (Besides SSS, I don't have the heart for it- yet.)

Better yet, any suggestions for dealing with the owner? She's always so polite and horrified, but never does a dang thing.

 

[countrygoddess]

Oh, I feel for you! I really, really do!! We have neighbors who let their dogs roam as well and we have lost chickens to them. The other day, the largest of the 3 was in our yard again and it was the last straw. People here are going to hate me for this, I'm sure, but my decision is this: next time they're out and come into my yard, I'm going to lure them, grab them, put them in my car, and take them to a shelter a couple of hours away. I'll make sure I remove any collars and I'll lie about what town I live in/where I found them. My neighbors WILL NOT get their dogs back. They are incompetent, inconsiderate dog owners who do not deserve those dogs. Not only it is disrespectful of all the people around here who have chickens (and there are a lot), but it's also shows a lack of concern for the health and safety of their dogs. More than once they've nearly been hit by cars.

 

[Baymule]

How many more will it take to harden your heart where SSS looks like a sporting event? I love dogs and I love my dogs, but my GP is a chicken killer, so my coop and run is Chicken Fort Knox. I can't let mine run loose. If I were in your shoes, I would have to do something about the neighbor's dogs. if you can't bring yourself to SSS, then I like Countrygoddess suggestion. Catch them and take them far far far away. Can't catch them? Start feeding them and make friends with them...........stash the monsters in the car and leave quietly. If your nice neighbor lady refuses to do anything, then you must. But never ever tell anyone and never let her know. Your chickens are important to you and she has no right to disrespect your property. IMHO, she has given up her rights when she allows her animals to come on YOUR property and destroy what is yours.

 

[missnu01]

Warning, long rant.
A neighbor down the road lets her dogs run free. She has a pack of 4 that roam all day. We have two young Pyrenees that usually manage to convince them to stay to the other side of the road, but they still come running by on a daily basis. We managed to save one hen before they killed her, but we estimate we've lost 8 of our flock to these dogs. The little rat terrier will dig under, the largest ones will exploit any loose area. Since we got our own dogs the big ones stay out but it looks like the little ones are still sneaking in.
It looks like thsi mornings victim was grabbed though the fence. We found her torn up on on the roadside, but there's a few of her feathers stuck in the wire.
The neighbor has been asked on multiple occasions to keep her dogs at home. We have already filed a police report, but that was last year and the police made it very clear they did not appreciate us calling them out on such 'trivial' matters. Best yet, there is no animal control in our county.
I am absolutely fed up with this. We are keeping every single 'important' chicken locked up, but our layers are spoiled and refuse to lay when confined to their run. So they're out and at risk because the neighbor is either too incompetent or lazy to fence/leash/house train her dogs and we need them to lay to pay for their feed. We've done almost everything in our power (and defiantly everything we can afford) to do to keep our hens safe, but because of one person's dogs we continue to lose our girls.
We can't do anything about the dogs either, since we can never catch them on our property. I hate making animals pay for their owners crimes, but I am just that fed up. These hens are fed soyfree/organic, they're expensive ot raise! Neighbor is never home except at odd hours to feed the dogs so I can't drag a carcass down there to wave in her face.
They said that unless we have visual proof it was her dogs we can't ask for damages. So I guess I get to go our there and hide with a camera?
End rant.
Are there any options to dealing with these dogs? (Besides SSS, I don't have the heart for it- yet.)
Better yet, any suggestions for dealing with the owner? She's always so polite and horrified, but never does a dang thing.

I feel like I would shoot them with something that hurts, but doesn't kill. It will soon convince them to stay away. One of my friends has a husky mix that she and everyone in her neighborhood quasi adopted, but he won't stay at any one house as a pet, he just wanders from place to place, and at least once a week he comes back to her place shot in the flank with something or other...I don't know what...it leaves a mark but not a hole...I assume he messes with someone's livestock since everyone around here has some sort of farm animal. You could also start leaving all the dead chickens in her mailbox.

On another note I got a really large mastiff/bulldog mix of some sort off of craigslist and the people said he was good with kids and people and other animals...so we pick up this huge dog right...?...and we get him home and he tries to eat my small dog...so I work with him for a few hours and he no longer tries to eat my small dog...Hooray!

Then we move out to the country and the neighbors have goats, and our dog ran right past me out the door, Jumped the goat's fence and grabbed a huge goat...these are not small goats at all...anyway he grabs one and drags it through the opposite side of the fence and then down a bank and then across the road and into the woods...with me chasing behind him all the way...
So I pry this monster off of this poor goat ---because they didn't lie, he was great with people---- anyway I get my dog off of this goat, but it is hurt, the goat, not the dog...anyway so I bring Jake home and put him up and go down to tell the neighbor what happened...we paid the vet bill for the goat and rehomed Jake again...this time with proper warnings that he is never to be around any animal anywhere at anytime, unless you are indoors and have worked with him and that animal extensively...If I had gotten that same warning I would have never picked him up...anyway long story short it falls on the owner of the dog to pay damages done by said dogs...I had to pay for my dog's natural error, as should your neighbor...and for what it cost to fix their goat I could have just bought them 2 new goats, but hey the goat made it, with a broken leg and punctured esophagus.

 

[KnoxvilleChick]

I would explain calmly and firmly to your irresponsible neighbor that you cannot afford to keep losing chickens, or to enclose them and stress them. This is a source of income for you (although that is besides the point in my opinion, property is property) and you have every right, even a responsibility to protect your investment. So, whether you're mentally and emotionally prepared to shoot the dogs or not, tell you neighbor that ANY animal (dog, raccoon, rattlesnake, abominable snowman) that threatens your animals on your property will immediately be shot. She doesn't have to know that you may not be actually able to pull the trigger. The law is on your side with that (or at least it is in most areas, not sure for everywhere), and maybe it will be enough to give her a wake up call.

Also, odd hours or not, I would definitely be showing her the carcasses. Even if it means you knock on her door when she comes home at 2AM. Carnage can be another good wakeup call.

Just to clarify, I'm a dog lover. I have one, who stays in my fenced yard and makes me a little bit happier every day when I get home, no matter what kind of day I've had. I had another, but she kept jumping the fence. We couldn't keep her in, no matter what. After she knocked down a neighbor's child in his front yard and injured him (just trying to play and getting excited, not trying to hurt the child, but still) she had to go. This was MY choice, not something my neighbor (who was amazingly understanding) forced upon me. It was simply the right decision, for me, my neighbors, and the dog.

Owning an animal is a responsibility and a privilege. And that includes containment, as well as protection.

 

[Mattemma]

I think talking to a neighbor is a bad thing. I doubt they would appreciate being asked to contain their dogs to their property.If they wanted to do that they already would have done that,and never let the dogs roam.I mean really what person thinks their dog will know their property line and always behave????

.No, I think talking to them will just create a NFH situation,and imo that is worse than having to deal with the dogs.

As for the dogs, well roamers die simple as that. I would kill them one by one,or catch and take to a far away pound.They get more that they let roam? Make them disappear too.

Like any predator dogs on your property need to be dealt with.No need to get upset.No need to fret over having a talk with the neighbor.Just figure out a way to get rid of the dogs.If you kill them don't leave them at the end of your drive,the neighbors,or call them to collect the carcass.Will start a NFH war. Just take care of it.We aren't talking about a dog that escaped the yard one time by accident.2 or more roamers together are a danger to you and yours.Dog,cat,kid,or adult I would not put up with ANY in my yard.

The other choices are talk to the neighbor and/or tolerate the dogs.Two things I would not do.Best wishes whatever you decide.

I have 3 dogs,3 cats,and 6 chickens.Our yard is enclosed with a 6 foot chainlink fence.No one in and no one out.

 

[missnu01]

These dogs will probably never stop getting your chickens though, because they know where and how to get them and I'm sure it is great and entertaining fun for them...
See if you can get ahold of some live animal traps...they make big ones for dogs. Call the nearest animal shelter and see if they have any...anyway set those out and perhaps you can catch them that way and then take them away somewhere else...I mean if you aren't keeping your dogs at home then you know there is always a good chance they will disappear...so eff it.

 

[missnu01]

You can always shoot a strange dog on your property as far as I know.

 

[jdywntr]

So sorry for the losses and the $#%^& neighbor. Here, we had a neighbors dogs kill a few chickens in the pasture. The neighbor is chaining them now. We spoke with a deputy just hypothetically to see what the law said. We don't have a leash law in our county but the state does which trumps the county. The deputy also said kill them. Call, report, if it happens again, its a felony.

If you don't have animal control, try to find a local rescue group, shelter etc to ask their advice. If you haven't, check with law enforcement to see what your rights are, regardless of whether they think it is important. Where we used to live, if a person came into our yard and was bitten, we could be sued. You could also check with an attorney.

After the dogs came here, my husband said he didn't think we should shoot them if they came back. I told him he didn't need to but if I was out there, and the dogs were attacking, I would. They were super friendly dogs and it looked like they had a ball tearing my chickens in half.

Be careful with catching and relocating them to a shelter. Technically, this would be considered theft in many areas. Also, DON'T put anything in the mailbox. Your mail carrier won't appreciate it and, again technically, putting anything in a mailbox is a felony.

It looks like you have done everything that you can. I wouldn't talk to the neighbor, they obviously don't care. Continue to report it to the police. And do check with them on your rights.

 

[Tricorn]

Thanks everyone for the support. I hate losing any chicken, but when it's a special one it really gets me.

Saving up for new fencing is a priority right now, but it's a 3 acre paddock. Expensive!

We have caught the dogs before, last year. Kept one for four days to see if she would pick it up, no go. We returned it with a very firm warning. The next time we gave it to another neighbor who also has issues with these dogs and he dropped it off at a shelter 20 miles away. Though she can't be bothered to collar them, apparently at least one is chipped. Had the audacity to complain to us about having to go get it.

It's been made clear several times that we will take action. (Even though we never have)

I saved today's kill and will be going over in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow. Haven't seen the dogs all afternoon though, I wonder if they took the head home and she figured it out.

Again, thanks to everyone for the support