It finally happened (long rant, sorry)

[the_great_snag]

Quote:
Her chickens are her chosen pets. The neighbor chose the boxer as a pet. The life of the boxer is no more valuable than the chickens, especially since its owner doesn't even care enough about it to keep in their own yard. Any neighborhood fighting is being caused by the dog owner , not the OP. We have a neighbor with 2 dogs that have been loose a number of times. Once they killed another neighbor's dog. On 2 other occasions they injured other people's dogs. One bit a child once. Then they came and killed 13 of my chickens. Yes, those dogs will be shot if I ever see them on my property. Yes, it will be worth it. Trying to be a good neighbor is important, but nobody should be a doormat.

Whether you consider them pets or not, chickens are LIVESTOCK and are considered the same as horses, cows, etc. In most places you are fully within your rights to shoot the dog.

I think it's the only cure for a chicken killer unless you can get it relocated far far away from your flock.

I'd demand restitution from the dog's owner as well.

 

[Bluedog420]

She is not gonna stop the dog from killing. So if it was me I would shoot the dog, or you will not have any animal's left...Sorry about your loss

 

[wisefool]

I am sorry for you loss. I am going through the exact same issue. What frustrates me is the existance of dogs themselves. They provide no food and I think are PURE luxuries. People should realize that even before they let their dogs run on other peoples property much less when their pure luxury animals are killing legitimate farm animals.

When I was in your situation yesterday (after years of invading my property they finally dug under and killed a chicken) my blood pressure was off the chart in rage. Now my brain hurts from the stupidy of the situation I know is going to result in bad neighborly relations/politics that wont be fixed no matter who was in the right (me) or the wrong (yuppie dog owners who do not even try as hard as your neighbor did)

Again you have my heartfelt sympathy.

 

[Hecate]

I second Michelle1017 (and, Go Mizzou!) and the_great_snag. The neighbor has been warned. And she should at least offer to compensate for the loss of the chickens and repair of the fence!

 

[digginchicks]

Now that the dog knows he can do it it will always be trying and you will jsut loose more birds I would definately be introducing it to a .22 . So sorry for your loss

 

[valentinebaby]

Consider purchasing a BB gun - probably won't kill the dog, but sure will get the point across. I too have a neighbor with a boxer, and other breeds in the neighborhood as well, which is why I'm going into debt purchasing and burying hardware cloth so they can't get to my ladies once their old enough to get out in the run. My golden retriever was attacked 4 times in my yard by an American Bulldog (larger and meaner than pit bulls) and lived. This bulldog had brutally killed (reached through the fence and chomped) another neighbor's little dog. They spent over $1,000 trying to save its life. After its last attack on my big golden boy, I kept my shotgun loaded and made the decision that I needed to protect my dog, just as I would protect my children. Fortunately, the neighbor had the dog put down when it bit one of his children.

Good luck!

Gail

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Have you spoken to the neighbor face to face?

 

[horsejody]

Ohio Statutes:

This one lets you shoot dogs on your property

955.28 Dog may be killed for certain acts - owner liable for damages.
(A) Subject to divisions (A)(2) and (3) of section 955.261 of the Revised Code, a dog that is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, that attempts to bite or otherwise endanger, or that kills or injures a person or a dog that chases, threatens, harasses, injures, or kills livestock, poultry, other domestic animal, or other animal, that is the property of another person, except a cat or another dog, can be killed at the time of that chasing, threatening, harassment, approaching, attempt, killing, or injury. If, in attempting to kill such a dog, a person wounds it, the person is not liable to prosecution under the penal laws that punish cruelty to animals. Nothing in this section precludes a law enforcement officer from killing a dog that attacks a police dog as defined in section 2921.321 of the Revised Code.

(B) The owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog is liable in damages for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that is caused by the dog, unless the injury, death, or loss was caused to the person or property of an individual who, at the time, was committing or attempting to commit criminal trespass or another criminal offense other than a minor misdemeanor on the property of the owner, keeper, or harborer, or was committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense other than a minor misdemeanor against any person, or was teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog on the owner’s, keeper’s, or harborer’s property. Additionally, the owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog is liable in damages for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that is caused by the dog if the injury, death, or loss was caused to the person or property of an individual who, at the time of the injury, death, or loss, was on the property of the owner, keeper, or harborer solely for the purpose of engaging in door-to-door sales or other solicitations regardless of whether the individual was in compliance with any requirement to obtain a permit or license to engage in door-to-door sales or other solicitations established by the political subdivision in which the property of the owner, keeper, or harborer is located, provided that the person was not committing a criminal offense other than a minor misdemeanor or was not teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog.

Effective Date: 07-10-1987; 2008 HB71 09-30-2008

This Statute allows you compensation from a "dog and kennel fund"

955.29 Claim of owner.
Any owner of an animal that the owner believes has a fair market value of ten dollars or more and that has been injured or killed by a dog not belonging to the owner or harbored on the owner’s premises, in order to be eligible to receive compensation from the dog and kennel fund, shall notify a member of the board of county commissioners or dog warden within three days after the loss or injury has been discovered. A commissioner who is notified shall immediately notify the dog warden of the loss or injury. The warden shall investigate or have the loss or injury investigated promptly, and the person making the investigation shall provide the owner with duplicate copies of the claim form authorized by section 955.36 of the Revised Code and assist the owner in filling it out.

The owner shall set forth the kind, grade, quality, and fair market value of the animal, as estimated by the owner, the nature and amount of the loss or injury, the place where the loss or injury occurred, and all other facts in the possession of the claimant that will enable the warden to fix responsibility for the loss or injury. The owner shall also sign a statement that the information set forth is a true account of the loss or injury and that, on the date the loss or injury occurred, the claimant did not own or harbor an unregistered dog required to be registered under section 955.01 of the Revised Code. No claimant who owned or harbored an unregistered dog on that date may recover from the dog and kennel fund.

If the warden finds all the statements that the owner made on the form to be correct and agrees with the owner as to the fair market value of the animal, the warden shall promptly so certify and send both copies of the form, together with whatever other documents, testimony, or information the warden has received relating to the loss or injury, to the board of county commissioners.

If the warden does not find all the statements to be correct or does not agree with the owner as to the fair market value, the owner may appeal to the board of county commissioners for a determination as provided in section 955.35 of the Revised Code. In that case the owner shall secure statements as to the nature and amount of the loss or injury from at least two witnesses who viewed the results of the killing or injury and who can testify thereto and submit both copies of the form to the board of county commissioners or a member thereof not later than ten days after the warden finds that not all of the owner’s statements are correct or disagrees with the owner’s estimated fair market value, whichever is applicable. The warden shall submit to the board of county commissioners whatever documents, testimony, or other information the warden has received relating to the loss or injury.

As used in this section and sections 955.32 to 955.38 of the Revised Code:

(A) “Animal” and “grade animal” have the same meanings as in section 955.51 of the Revised Code.

(B) “Fair market value” means the average price that is paid for a healthy grade animal at a livestock auction licensed under Chapter 943. of the Revised Code and selected by the applicable board of county commissioners.

Effective Date: 03-23-1981; 2008 HB281 08-22-2008

You can't patrol your yard 24/7 so if the dog comes back you may or may not be there and armed and ready to shoot it. I suggest you hit the neighbor in the pocketbook. Take her to small claims court. Go on eggbid.com and find out how much it would cost to replace your killed birds, and don't forget to include shipping. Also figure in the cost of lost eggs. Don't forget to add any cost you incurred for fixing the fence. It adds up pretty quick. She will have to pay for your losses, the court costs and will probably miss a day from work. Hopefully she will get a fine from the dog warden too. It got pretty pricey for my neighbor when we went to court. He had to pay me over $1000 for my dead pets, damages to my coop and lost egg production. Then, because he originally pleaded not guilty for the dogs at large and doing damage ticket, he had to go to court. He even paid for lawyer for that court date. The lawyer had him change the plea to no contest, so the judge declared him guilty and fined him. It was a pretty expensive romp around the neighborhood for dogs, but I hope it has taught him a lesson.

So far your neighbor has probably had to pay a couple of $25 fines and had no real repercussions for her irresponsible ways. Hit her where it hurts, her pocketbook.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
BB guns don't get the point acroos to large dogs with a high prey drive. I have a neighbor that has repeatedly shot the 2 problem dogs in our area with a pellet gun. They still kept coming back to menace his animals.

 

[Picky Chicky]

So sorry for your loss, and I second the opinions of shooting or catching the dog and turning it over. It's only a matter of time before that dog gets out again - it's obvious his owner could give a rats patoot about you or really her dog.

Please let us know the details as they happen. I hope your rotten neighbor gets what's coming. Hopefully Animal Control can come in, get the dog and try to rehab (for it's new taste for chickens)/rehome it.