I blame the neighbor's dog, but where did they ALL go?

[High Roost Ranch]

I had a situation yesterday morning where the neighbor's dog once again returned, and at least 5 birds came up missing. The dog looks like it had eaten a basketball when I caught her. It started when I was in the house, let my dog out then made a phone call. The next thing I know, the dog and the peafowl were going crazy, so I hung up the phone and I ran outside to find the offender in the little island of trees that we have in the yard, and not a single one of my free ranged BLRW bantams around (they were about 1/2 grown). I searched HIGH AND LOW, only found feathers in two different places from what I assume were two of the wyandottes. She'd also gotten a mouthful of feathers from my swan and canada goose. Da*n dog. Double da*n dog owner. You see, this is not the first time she's killed my birds, although it's been a while. But in the past, I have never NOT found any evidence other than a few feathers, I've always found their poor little bodies. But the last time she did this she was a puppy, she's now an adult lab who has had a litter of pups and has grown considerably. Is it possible the dog actually ATE all 5 birds? She sure looked big enough in the stomach to have done so, but I just don't know. The owner still isn't home, I left a note on his gate telling him to call me about his chicken killing dog. No call. The dog is in one of my runs. I want to call Animal Control, but I hesitate because the overpopulation right now is horrible, and I really don't want to see her put down. I'll be leaving here soon (moving) and I really don't blame the dog so much as the owner as he has taught her to chase his pigs when they get loose. This dog has cost me a lot of money... about $500 in poultry PLUS she came over one day and chewed up an incubator I had disinfected and left out on the patio to air dry. Found nothing but parts and a pile of styrofoam strewn all over the yard in the wind. I'm at the point of telling this irresponsible neighbor to fork over some money for the losses. I don't know whether he'll pay or not, he's promised to in the past but I never say a dime. But I've thoroughly had it this time. I don't tolerate chicken killers with my own dogs, or let my own dogs run free and terrorize the neighborhood, so when he finally does show up at his place, I'm not turning the dog over until he pays up for damages.

Thanks for letting me rant.

 

[kla37]

If you don't want to get the dog in trouble since you are moving soon, I'd take the owner to small claims court for the value of the birds and incubator. Tell the owner that you WILL get the dog in trouble if it isn't kept contained like it should be. Sorry for the loss of your birds! Uncontrolled "pets" roaming the neighborhood drives me crazy!!!

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

It will stop when it effects his pocket book, so small claims court is a good bet ! After a few times in court he will be a better neighbor. You should call animal control every time you have a incident so you have some written evidence if you decide to go to court..

 

[lynxs1981]

I have several neighbors living around me that just turn their dogs out. They have already killed over $500 worth of my neighbor's chickens, and he has killed 2 of their dogs. They just end up replacing the dogs, petty much spitting in his face. It's irresponsible pet owners like that that really make situations like your's worse. I'm a big animal lover, but I always keep a shotgun by my side to protect my property and flock.

 

[barredrockgrl]

Quote:
As a dog lover this stuff makes me soooo angry!

How can people be this irresponsible? They put their dogs lives at risk in innumerable ways everytime they let them roam. Not to mention they make the lives of good dog owners even harder. I'm so sorry you guys are having problems with people like this. They're slowly chipping away at all of our rights as animal owners.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
If she really did eat 5 full grown chickens in their entirety, she's going to be sick. I think it's very unlikely though. Especially in that short of a time period. Is it possible that she had a partner you didn't see?

The only thing i can think of is that my dogs will take a "special treat" and go hide it or bury it somewhere for later.

But it doesn't sound like she had enough time for all of that, unless she had made a couple of trips home to her babies before you caught her, and she was just back for sixths.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Short of entering his property, I still cannot find evidence of the birds, what surely has to be left overs. I looked again just a little while ago, checked all 50 acres for evidence, notta dang thing. He does have other dogs, last time I checked perhaps 7-2 adults and a litter of pups from them. He's the one who's helped contribute to the feral dog population around here. The dog's owner still isn't home. I stopped in at the local feed store he frequents and left a message with the clerk up there, for him to call me about this dog and what he's going to do about it. The note I left on the gate is gone I see, but no phone call from anyone yet. I am just dumbfounded that there isn't any more evidence of the missing chickens, unless she came over with her pups, and when I let my dog out perhaps they took off with the birds and went back and she was the only one I caught??? In the past, when she's killed, I'd tell him (nicely at first, not so nice the last couple of times) and the only thing he tells me is to shoot her. I knew this dog as a puppy and when the guy is out of town during the week (he works out of town for a week or more at a time), she was always at our house starving for companionship. I was tolerant of her since I could understand her wanting to be around people. And that was OK, until he started her on chasing hogs, that's when I couldn't have her over any more because she thought everything was hers to chase. When he told me to shoot her, my response wasn't very "neighborly" to say the least. I don't see why I should be the one to deal with HIS problem! I guess I'm calling AC on Monday. And small claims would be an option if I wasn't moving out of state soon 1/2 way across country. I'm not so concerned with the dog's behavior as I am with his lack of responsibility. But I'm not sure how far I'll get with AC because he was having a very loose relationship with one of the officers, and with my luck, I'd end up with her being the one who takes the complaint, meaning nothing will be done. I am just so frustrated and angry!

 

[PineappleMama]

What kind of warped individual tells someone to shoot their dog?

Clearly he doesn't give a rat's patoot about the dog, AC definitely needs to step in.

Sucks that you have to be the responsible one.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

Quote:
Tell me about it! Thanks for the understanding. His reasoning is, I'd shoot your dog if it was over at my place killing something. What he fails to realize is all my dogs are accountable for and under control at all times. So there isn't that remote possibility that my Poms would be over at his place killing his hogs, the moron.

 

[country lady]

I understand completely how you feel. My neighbor's black lab went on a killing spree in my pen Sunday. When I saw the slaughter and the dog, I felt such rage that I've never felt before. I have no close neighbors, just three down the road. This neighbor gave away two beagles last year because DH told him they were trying to get into the pen. He is irresponsible. He knows his dog was running around because I've heard him calling the dog. Three of my beautiful hens are dead, two were my favorites. I had six and only my BR was untouched. One flew over the fence into the woods, came back later. Only my BR is laying an egg--only three this week. The other two were either traumatized or injured and couldn't get on the roost for four days. Not only did I lose pets but now I will be buying eggs. To hear this man say he is responsible only made me angry; did I think the Easter Bunny was responsible!!! BTW, in some states it is legal to shoot a dog if it is "worrying" livestock. I would hate to do that because in my case it was the owner who is the culprit. The dog actually wagged its tail when it saw us.