How to deal with rogue dogs and their owners

[henpeckeddad]

Hello everyone.

I don't know if this is the right title or not. It's a combination of a question and rant. Yesterday morning, I got a frantic call from my
wife. Two German shepards got into the chicken "yard" and killed 3 of my hens (1 Blk/Slv laced Wyandotte and 2 New Hamp Reds)
and seriously injured 2 New Hamp Reds. Whats worse is, my children were witness to them being torn apart. These two dogs, which didn't have collars, have run through the yard and my neighborhood before. We are fortunate that our children weren't out there as well. Animal Control was called and has been helpful. Here's my question; If the owner of these dogs is found, I will attempt to be compensated for the loss of eggs that the 3 would have produced. As well as the hens themselves. Before yesterday, we had 12 hens, 9 were laying. The Wyandotte was hatched this spring, and the Reds were 3 years old (the injured ones, also). Does this sound possible? I've checked on this site and online for egg prices from free-range,organic fed hens. We don't sell our eggs, we consume them ourselves. So, we haven't had to buy any for awhile.


I will say I love dogs terribly and would love to have one. My wife isn't too big a fan of them. But, if the police can't come up with
anything before these dogs show up in my yard again, I will put them down myself. For my family's safety and my flock's. A modified chicken fence will be added to what I have. But, to wrap a fence around 3.27 acres would be too expensive for me. It is definitely not right to be a prisoner on your own property because of someone else's lack of control of their animals and respect for their neighbors. Thank you for listening.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Most localities have laws concerning when someones dog or other pet kills livestock. You would have to check your local laws. Most allow you to kill the offending animal that is killing your livestock as long as you don't make them suffer, basically put them down clean. Those laws also cover compensation, which would basically be the current value of the chicken. So whatever price the chickens would sell for at a fair market rate so you can replace them. I don't know that a judge would allow compensation for future returns from the livestock. It doesn't matter if you only paid $4 a chick for them, as adult layers their value would be closer to around $20-$40 according to breed and that would be the value the owner would be liable for.

 

[sourland]

Most localities have laws concerning when someones dog or other pet kills livestock. You would have to check your local laws. Most allow you to kill the offending animal that is killing your livestock as long as you don't make them suffer, basically put them down clean. Those laws also cover compensation, which would basically be the current value of the chicken. So whatever price the chickens would sell for at a fair market rate so you can replace them. I don't know that a judge would allow compensation for future returns from the livestock.

I agree, and agree that it is time for these dogs to be removed from your neighborhood.

 

[enola]

In SC the judge will rule the owner of the dogs has to pay you the value of the chickens at the time of death. I had the owner of the feed store write a statement that told the judge how much she would charges per hen to order them for me. That was the first time we went to court.

These one time, I was awarded value for the hens again. And he fined them $200 for allowing the fog to roam at large.

The third time, he again awarded me the value of the chickens, fined them $400 for ignoring the previous ruling, and ordered animal control to pick the dog up for euthanization.

 

[BBQJOE]

Shoot them. Once a dog has tasted raw chicken, he'll never be broken of the killing habit.

 

[enola]

Not everyone can shoot a dog.

 

[BBQJOE]

Not everyone can shoot a dog.

Posted by OP:
Quote: It sounds as though he is capable.

 

[ameliadanielle]

When it happened to me, I talked to the neighbor and asked him to keep his dog out of my yard. He did. the dog never came to my yard again. As much as I would have hated to shoot the dog for the owners irresponsibility, I would have if he had not kept the dog out of my yard.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

I had an incident this summer where a neighbors dog came down to my yard and killed three of my ducks.
He willingly paid me for my losses.( He bought me four ducklings). But I talked to our police chief and he said I had every right to kill the dog to protect my(small) flock.
Like I said my neighbor had no problem paying up. And it was cheaper and easier to buy 4 ducklings then to replace three adult ducks. I never factored egg loss into it as they are more pets than just egg layers.

 

[willzpapa]

I don't know the legality of putting someone's animal down but I have had to give chicken killing dogs away to other folks with out chickens or.other fowl