Loose dogs in the country - don't know what to do

[gurley157FS]

I don't know if anyone has any good answers but here goes anyway....

I live in a semi-rural area and, of course, there are no leash laws. Almost everyone's dogs run loose.

So far I have had one cat dragged out of her house and killed. Dogs tore through the wire of the rabbit hutch and killed one. Tonight I came home and the hutch had been torn into again but they didn't manage to get the other rabbit.

My chicks are going out to thier coop tomorrow. I am putting electric wire around the coop and they will be locked in the hen house at night - but this is happening while we are away at work during the day. I can't keep the birds locked up all of the time. Our local animal control tells us that they have enough problems dealing with animals inside the city limits - they just can't handle any more.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have really put a lot into these girls and I don't want to lose them.

 

[justusnak]

I think the electric wire might help. Is there a way for you to put up a camera...to see exactly which dog is doing this damage? Then you might be able to find the owner, and let them know, you have proof....and the SSS " law" might be able to be inforced....considering the dog is killing YOUR pets. I sure hope your babies are safe.....good luck!

 

[djwingo]

i have the same problem lol the sherriffs dept here told me if they were on my property to shoot them no animal control comes out here....i have a 2 yr old son and neighbors have pittbulls good luck!!!

 

[wynedot55]

theres only 1 thing todo with chicken killers.an that is to shoot them.if you dont want to kill the dogs you can shoot over their heads.an run them off.if you catch them killing them.you can shoot them.but id warn the neighbors that if dogs kill chickens they will pay for them.if you can prove its their dog killing them.or you can do SSS shoot shovel an shutup.

 

[V Chic Chick]

Shoot
Shovel (bury)
Shut up

It's legal, but the local press seems to like the whole evil b*tch killed my family pet story, and no one wants their face on the front page of the local rag by that sort of thing.

If you know who the owners of these dogs are then give them one warning, but beyond that there is little you can do to control their dogs beyond SSS.

 

[gurley157FS]

Thanks for clarifying SSS. I wasn't sure what that meant.

Thanks so much for your replies - I will take them into consideration ;-).

I'd hate for people to think that I am not a dog lover though. I do have a 15 year old lab that was a rescue. He does not roam though. He is on a runner and is allowed loose when we are at home and outside with him. I would never presume that my neighbors wanted him running around on their property.

We just got back from the feed store with new hotwire supplies to extend the wire from the rabbit hutch to the new chicken pen. This is their first day out and they are all loving it!!

 

[Llysse]

I know it does sound harsh, but the truth is that if the owners of the dogs--if they HAVE owners--cared about them, they would keep them under control. (That's why you keep your lab under control, right?) If you find the dogs killing your rabbits, cats, chickens, etc., it's probably much safer for you to shoot them than to try to go in and pull them out by the collar or something. You could easily get bitten or much, much worse. You are only acting in defense of yourself and your own animals.

If you have a very good relationship with your neighbors, you could consider telling them what's going on, but if you don't have a good relationship, you could just be setting yourself up for trouble. SSS is probably very good advice as long as you relate it to your specific relationship with your community.

 

[chicknmania]

A lot of dogs are scared of loud noises. You don't necessarily have to use a gun although shotgun over the head works best, but we've scared away a wild dog pack with firecrackers; even the little firecrackers will sometimes work. Course you have to be home to do that....

 

[hencackle]

Get a paintball gun!
Stephanie

 

[zimmy]

Ha! That's BRILLIANT! PAINT THE EVIL PUPPIES!

(even though they're not puppies )

But I call every dog a puppy, so, cha.