DOGS! UGH!!!

[ChickenPox]

I"m sorry to hear of your loss. But I will agree that the irresponsible neighbors at least TRIED to do right after the fact, and that DOES make a difference. I've been in your shoes. I've also had good dogs escape and get shot for no reason. Both incidents happened years apart, but my animals were WONDERFUL with livestock......i.e. they ignored thier existance. And both dogs were very well socialized, neutered....great with other dogs and great with people. Both were wearing collars with ID. One was dumped back on my property dead, my kids found him......awful situation which was investigated by the law, but nothing ever came of it.

Having said that and lived through the pain, I would not hesitate to shoot one on my property killing my livestock. I wouldn't like doing it, but it would get done. I hope you never have to deal with it again. I choose not to free range my birds for this very reason.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

My two dogs are out when I'm out and in when I'm in, so I don't worry about them getting onto a neighbour's property. But my neighbour is not quite so considerate. His huge black lab, called Cheyenne, is tied outside all the time and gets loose at least once a week. The whole road knows where he lives and drags him back home. He doesn't chase our livestock so we tolerate him. But he causes ridiculous mischief. Last summer my daughter got married on the farm and had her reception in the barn, and who busts in a midnight when everyone is dancing? Yup Cheyenne. And scarfs a whole loaf of bread from the buffet and takes off!

 

[gander007]

I"m sorry to hear of your loss.

But I will agree that the irresponsible neighbors at least TRIED to do right after the fact, and that DOES make a difference. I've been in your shoes. I've also had good dogs escape and get shot for no reason. Both incidents happened years apart, but my animals were WONDERFUL with livestock......i.e. they ignored thier existance. And both dogs were very well socialized, neutered....great with other dogs and great with people. Both were wearing collars with ID. One was dumped back on my property dead, my kids found him......awful situation which was investigated by the law, but nothing ever came of it.

Having said that and lived through the pain, I would not hesitate to shoot one on my property killing my livestock. I wouldn't like doing it, but it would get done. I hope you never have to deal with it again. I choose not to free range my birds for this very reason.

 

[nzpouter]

I don't understand the "responsible / exceptional" neighbor comments. Honestly, both neighbors are anything but.

Both were irresponsible, both have no business owning dogs, and both dogs (and the OP's chickens) are the ones paying for the owners' short-comings. 

The only up side I see in this scenario is that the OP was reimbursed for the birds (a blessing) and that hopefully the surviving dog will go to a less ignorant and irresponsible family (tasted blood? really?) and hopefully neither neighbor will get another dog. 

This... both failed, both has no business owning a dog.... let alone a strong willed breed like pit.