How to keep out a Great Pyryneese? and boxer, already destroyed most of the flock. Iowa Legalities?

To find out the legalities, go online, call your city office, or go to the public library - research and find out your local laws. Shooting them would have been the only option here, but we live on a farm and it would have been safe and legal to do so. The kids could be sent into another part of the house. But it sounds like you're in a populated area, so that probably isn't legal for you anyway. That being the case, it sounds like you'd better invest in some good, sturdy fencing.

 

Yes, a wooden privacy fence should do it. Even a 100+ lb dog can't knock down one. Think of it, a 200 lb human can't barge through that, so a dog can't. But make sure there's something like wire buried under it so there's no digging. It stinks that the owners won't be responsible and keep the dogs contained themselves.

 

did you have the police officers talk to the neighbors? They will do an incident report and also take an estimate of the damages. Your neighbor will be liable for those damages and you can update the amount if you take your dog into the vet to check her injuries as well. If you haven't had a report filed, I'd suggest doing it immediately. Do you have an AC (animal control)? Since the dogs were growling and snapping at you, I would call them as well.

Are you in the city limits? That will affect whether or not you can use lethal force.


351.27. Right to kill tagged dog

It shall be lawful for any person to kill a dog, wearing a collar with a rabies vaccination tag attached, when the dog is caught in the act of chasing, maiming, or killing any domestic animal or fowl, or when such dog is attacking or attempting to bite a person.

CREDIT(S)

Amended by Acts 1994 (75 G.A.) ch. 1173, § 34; Acts 2007 (82 G.A.) ch. 111, S.F. 406, § 1.
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
2007 Electronic Update
2007 Legislation
Acts 2007 (82 G.A.) ch. 111, S.F. 406, § 1, deleted "worrying," following "caught in the act of".

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351.28. Liability for damages

The owner of a dog shall be liable to an injured party for all damages done by the dog, when the dog is caught in the action of worrying, maiming, or killing a domestic animal, or the dog is attacking or attempting to bite a person, except when the party damaged is doing an unlawful act, directly contributing to the injury. This section does not apply to damage done by a dog affected with hydrophobia unless the owner of the dog had reasonable grounds to know that the dog was afflicted with hydrophobia and by reasonable effort might have prevented the injury.
CREDIT(S)
Amended by Acts 1983 (70 G.A.) ch. 117, § 1.

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusiast351_1_43.htm#s27

 

shotgun would work well

 

First try to take video of the attack and/or deceased birds with the dogs messing with them.
Second take the proof to the neighbor and politely ask for the cost of the birds.
Third If owner fails to correct the problem, call the police and if that does not work, shoot the dogs.

My closest neighbors are 1/4 mile away. I politely suggested that any dog attacking me or my poultry is a dead dog if i catch it in the act.
A big problem here is people dumping dogs. They chunk their dog(s) out near the cluster of neighbors houses and the dogs find their way to my house from hearing roosters.
Any dog i do not know is shot on sight if it looks diseased or attempts to mess with my birds.

 

tell the police that you need a report for insurance purposes. Yes, they will come out and document what happened. I would also ask them if they (or AC) would talk to the neighbors about the legalities of roaming dogs that attack livestock.

ETA: in some areas, these reports might be handled by animal control, so ask who will do it. Either way, you need an official report that documents the amount of damages, the date, description of the dogs, and a notation that the owners of the dogs were notified of the incident by officials. Then submit the neighbors with a bill for the damages and a copy of the report. If you plan on shooting the dogs if they return, I would ask the officials (police or AC) to inform the owners of your legal right to do this and to also note in the report that the owners were told. It never hurts to CYA!

 

It would tick me off enough to have had the chickens killed, but when a child is afraid of being killed in his own backyard, oh heck no! I live in the country, neighbors are 1/4 mile from me, but we all have dogs out here. It is an unwritten (and written!) law out here; if your dog is harassing or killing livestock, you will be delivered a dead dog...period. People tend to dump dogs out here too, although it has slowed down in the last 10 years. I rehomed quite a few, and only had to shoot one Pit Bull who was in my yard growling at my kids! A 12 gauge ended that problem very quickly. It's a shame that irresponsible people let their dogs roam, especially those with dangerous propensities!