What a completely ludicrous statement... or should I say string of statements. The issues of responsibility and accountability have been addressed and accepted. The dog owner accepted responsibility for what HIS animals did to the neighbor's animals. He has also accepted accountability for that responsibility and intends to recompense the neighbor for the loss of his animals. What further discussion on those two points is required? Where is there any gray area in the interpretation of those facts? You can TRY to turn this around into a condemnation of the chicken owner for not "protecting" his chickens, but that is NOT the issue and is patent fraud, or if you prefer, bait & switch. What happened is in no way, shape or form the chicken owner's fault. The chickens were on the chicken owner's property and were killed there by dogs who did NOT belong there. It's a ****** shame that the OP lost his dogs for what they did, but it was the dog owners fault that the chickens were killed by HIS dogs on the neighbor's property. PERIOD! End of story.
For the person who keeps talking about "federal law," what universe do you originate from? In case you're not aware of how the united states legal system (is supposed to) works, the federal government is restricted to only what is allowed by the constitution, and all else falls to the state and finally local level. As an aside, the fed is SUPPOSED to answer to the states, NOT the other way around. Our illustrious federal oligarchy has so far outstripped it's legal limits as to be ridiculous, but that's for another thread and platform.
As a land owner and animal owner, it is my responsibility to ensure my animals remain on my property and do no damage to any other person or their belongings. That is a basic responsibility of any person owning an animal. I also have a personal/moral responsibility to protect and care for my animals against any and ALL hazards that could harm them. If the OP were writing to say the neighbor had killed a fox/raccoon/mink/ermine/whatever that had killed his chickens, this thread would not be 7 pages long, and EVERYONE (possibly even including federal law person) would be saying "GREAT JOB!" but because it was a dog, some are trying to change the basic facts and turn the blame to the victim as has become the way of many in present day society.
I feel for both parties. They have each, in their own way been hurt by this situation. I hope they can get past it and move forward from it constructively.
