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

[Fredster]

I believe in the SSS school of thought myself. If you're thinking about getting a paintball gun, I'd recommend checking your local laws to make sure you won't be brought up on animal cruelty charges if you use it. The law tends to frown on things like that (which is kind of funny, because it's often legal to shoot and kill dogs harassing livestock).

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Thought I would add a term here. "Less Than Lethal" or LTL. It means a weapon that is meant to couse pain an stop someone/thing without cousing death but still may couse death. Paint ball, tazers. rocksalt an rubber shot shells are LTL. Pellet an BB guns could be argued as ether.

The problem with them is you are only allowed to fire a weapon at something/someone if you have actual FEAR for your life (an in some states your property), not just because there on your property. If you use a LTL when you have something more effective. It can an as been argued in court that because you didn't grab the more effective weapon you weren't in fear for your life or property an had no legal right to use any weapon in that situation.

The sad fact is if you shoot to scare away you can see real jail time. Even with a paintball gun.

If you ever reach for a gun in any situation always grab the one with the best stopping power an if anyone asks what happened, "I was afraid for my life an my property an just wonted him to stop." Remember, guns are for stopping not killing. Killing is just an unfortunate side effect of stopping them.

Make sure to know your rights to defense of your self an your property in your state. Look up the laws before not after. Then SSS.

 

[ranchhand]

Oh joy

, I am am glad to hear someone can relate to my problems with strays. I have 4 who come around every day- a boxer, 2 pits and a ??. The owners, if they have any, do not seem to care for them. One has an injured leg- I am a BIG TIME animal rescuer, but when I tried to gently and quietly approach, 3 lifted their lips and snarled. Not being a total idiot, I backed off. We are county, not city, so I called animal control - over 11 days ago. They have yet to show up or contact me, and I am home all day and night.

So far, they have not approached my chicken pens, but if they do, I will fire my big ole 6-shooter over their heads. I don't want to kill, but I will if forced to. My 3 large, rescued dogs seem to have told them to keep on trucking, but every day is a huge ruckus when they pass through. Breaks my heart to see them, hungry and injured.

Neighbors all say "they're not mine" or "I ain't seen no dogs."

A word of caution about firing warning shots, (or ANY shot), MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THAT SHOT IG GOING TO END UP!!!

(a friend of mine was cleaning a .22 one day- idly shot a bug on the kitchen floor- spent 2 days repairing the plumbing!

)

 

[EllyMae]

Electric fencing will be good...put a charger on there that is made for large livestock...give em a ZAP! Oh, and if you have spare firecrackers or bottle rockets..those are fun to shoot at them too....12 gauge is effective...etc etc

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I agree with SSS. Weve had trouble with strays. But not in along time thanks to the SSS.

 

[Trollkiller]

People crack me up. One thread will be people being tough "Stray comes in my yard I shoot it. If you want your pet better keep them in your own yard!" and then on another thread you have people crying because their chicken escaped.

Even if you are the most responsible of pet owners there is a chance your animal will escape.

I think that we should be reasonable. If an animal is attacking your livestock or pets then by all means SSS.

If an occasional animal wanders into your yard but is posing no danger to your animals, property or people you have no justification in killing it. At that point you are doing it for fun and need to rethink your humanity.

The other day my daughter ran in the house and told me there was a big dog in the yard. I assumed it was the one that likes to run the cats, so I grabbed my bamboo cane to smack it.

I get out there and less than one foot away from my chicken tractor is a German Shepard. The dog was looking at the birds but was not threatening. To some of you that still would have been justification to shoot the dog.

Instead I called her, and she came. Checked the tags, tracked and phoned the owner. The owner was an old lady that has owned the dog for six years. That dog is her companion and protection. The dog had escaped from a friend’s house while they were visiting.

If I would have acted like some on here claim to I would have taken a cherished and well cared for pet away from an old woman for nothing more than my ego.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Trollkiller, I know what you are saying, Ive called my neighbors told them thier dog was at my house, even taken the dogs home from time to time. I dont shoot EVERYTIME I see a dog in my yard. But Im talking about dogs that repeatedly come around my birds and other livestock, because of neighbors who dont care, or because the dogs are strays. I has nothing to do with EGO, it has EVERYTHING to do with the welfare and safety of my family and my birds and livestock.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
Your state's General Stautes are your best source for FACTS

 

[PunkerTechnoRoo?ter]

The classic humanity question. Do you use your higher brain functioning common sense or your primitive brain blood thirst when it comes to the stray chihuahua yelpping at your cows ?

 

[horsejody]

PunkërTeçhñöRøø§ter :

The classic humanity question. Do you use your higher brain functioning common sense or your primitive brain blood thirst when it comes to the stray chihuahua yelpping at your cows ?

I don't think you will find anyone on here shooting stray chihuahuas for yapping at cows. However, it is not blood thirst to protect your animals from the blood thirst of another person's pet. It's plain common sense to rid yourself of a predator attacking your pets/livestock. It's easy to be judgemental of others eliminating a dog problem, if you have never gone through the nightmare of a careless neighbor and their wandering domesticated predators.​