found loose dog eating my chicken

[Belott]

Under Texas law citations 822, it is legal to shoot any dog attacking and or having killed livestock including fowl.

The OP may have been inside city limits where discharging a firearm is illegal and or the fact he did not report it.

Not enough info from the OP


David

 

[bobbi-j]

i don't know if it was right for you to kill the dog. maybe a warning shot first? or just wound the dog. from what you said i am assuming the chicken was already dead when you saw the dog. so was there really any need to shot the dog? now you have 2 dead animals instead of 1.  but i think the owners should also get a ticket for letting their dogs lose. you can't really blame the dog. as most dogs are bred for hunting small game.

Our last dog was a hunter - loved to hunt - a "warning shot" would have done just the opposite of scaring him away. I also think just wounding a dog is cruelty. Killing is not. When it's dead, it's not suffering like it would be if wounded. Assuming the OP had more than one chicken, there absolutely was a need to shoot the dog. How many more would it have killed otherwise?

OP, you did the right thing for your flock. Sorry things have turned out the way they did for you.

 

[New Hampshire]

Ok, after some research, it sounds like you are definitely within Texas law. Hire a good lawyer and you should be able to get out of it.

 

[Belott]

Would really like to know what state you are in also.

Edit - I see you are in texas

On a post dated in 2012 he states he is living in Florida, not Texas


David

 

[hughnews]

YUP Florida the dog had one of my chicken in his mouth never had seen the loose dog the lawyer price is $4,000

 

[gander007]

First you need a lawyer to present your case for you as the judge will not hear you in most cases and the whole incident needs to be in writing before you go to court and being Bailed out the Bondsman should have set your court hearing out 30 day's depending on your state laws now I am only writing this as I was never a Lawyer but I was a Bail Bonds Man for some years 7 to be exact ....

You will need photos and were you in city limits as this is only a pet and live stock is out side the city limits another thing if you have other houses with in a certain distance all these laws a Lawyer will help you with .....


Good luck in your case and a shotgun is loader but more expectable in court as the pellets do not go over a mile ....


Keep us updated on this please as I am sure it will be most educational ......

 

[gander007]

Under Texas law citations 822, it is legal to shoot any dog attacking and or having killed livestock including fowl.

The OP may have been inside city limits where discharging a firearm is illegal and or the fact he did not report it.

Not enough info from the OP


David

These are really good points as the Deputies here in the middle of nowhere always want me to turn in all my kills as I am not allowed to remove any wild animals I shoot Bob-Cats Fox Coyote
even the feared and ferocious Death Valley Desert Tortoise

,,,,

Anyway all domestic animals need to be turned in as the owns might want it back and the call of a discharge of a fire arm needs to be reported .....

 

[blucoondawg]

i don't know if it was right for you to kill the dog. maybe a warning shot first? or just wound the dog. from what you said i am assuming the chicken was already dead when you saw the dog. so was there really any need to shot the dog? now you have 2 dead animals instead of 1. but i think the owners should also get a ticket for letting their dogs lose. you can't really blame the dog. as most dogs are bred for hunting small game.

Ya, because wounding a dog is really a admirable thing to do, I don't think that would constitute animal cruelty at all

. There was need to shoot the dog, it had a chicken in it's mouth and would have come back for 2nds. The one thing you are right about in your post is the owners should be ticketed for allowing a roaming dog if it does have an owner, they should be ticketed and have to pay restitution and have their dog destroyed, which the OP took care of, since they are not capable of keeping dogs responsibly.

No you can't blame the dog for being a dog, but you can shoot the dog for attacking your animals in most areas