Neighbor shooting BB guns at my birds!

[lja440]

Back at my old house the neighbor raised goats. Another neighbor had dogs that she couldn't be bothered putting in the pen they had been instructed to build when her dogs caused previous problems. Over the summer my neighbor lost we think 14 kids and 4 nannies and his Billy was crippled to the point he had to be put down. We knew but couldn't get proof of the culprits.

I came home one day to hear a goat in major distress just past my property line where the neighbors pasture juts into mine. Grabbed a long handle shovel (first thing that came to hand), yelled into the house for my daughter to call 911 and report dogs killing goat and ran for the fence. Two of the women's dogs had a nanny, one by the throat the other biting the udder and hind legs, third dog had dead kid. I whacked the one holding the neck repeatedly to get it to let go, in the process getting some good DNA on my shovel. Once it took off the others followed.

Sheriff and Humane Officer went to her house looked at the dogs. When asked why they had blood on them she said that her cat scratched one and the blood was from that (couldn't find the scratch) but did find a cut from the shovel on the dogs shoulder. Then she wanted to press charges for me injuring her dog. She said I had no right that the dogs were only playing. The humane officer showed her the pictures of the nanny and the dead kid and said "Don't think these two enjoyed the game much."

She was fined $1000 for each goat (the nanny didn't make it) 50 hours community service and ordered never to allow her dogs to run loose again.

LOL I was her mail carrier for the next 7 years, she called the Post Office and said I was a quote 'psycho *****' and she never wanted me on her property. Postmaster (who had heard the story) said fine. To this day anything that will not fit in her mailbox gets a notice and she has to collect it from the PO.

You can't fix stupid but apparently you can fine stupid from time to time.

 

[chiknhurder]

Around here you can't even kill a dog that is attacking your kids. It's against the law. I hate the dang law and believe me. I found a way finally to get rid of the issue it's called poison. However I now have this acre fenced in, and the 5 acres up to the big farm fenced in and that keep everything out. If anything does get in, it finds out real fast that I will kill it.

I had a neighbors dog take a bite out of me, then 2 days later it took a bite out of one of my kids. The lady still has never payed the hospital bills, however I dealt with her dog. AC wouldn't do it and the police did nothing. I put out poison in dog food right next to my porch it ate it.

But after she still never hooked the dog, and all the time I was having to run for my door when I would be outside, I figured something had to be done.

North Carolina's Castle Doctrine allows you to use lethal force against the threat of death or bodily harm.

~~North Carolina's Castle Doctrine protects people in their *home, workplace or automobile. It allows a person to use defensive force, including lethal force, if they have a reasonable sense of fear of serious bodily harm in their home, workplace or car. North Carolina law does not require the person to retreat before using deadly force. The law presumes that "a person who unlawfully and by force enters or attempts to enter a person's home, motor vehicle, or workplace is presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence."

The law goes on to read, "a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have the duty to retreat in any place he or she has the lawful right to be if either of the following applies: he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another."~~


* The new law defines a person’s home as any property with a roof where the person lives and also includes “curtilage,” which is the area immediately around a home. It defines a person’s workplace as any property with a roof used for commercial purposes. It says a home or workplace can be temporary or permanent and specifically says either one can be a tent.


Furthermore, if you have a CCW (Concealed & Carry Weapons Permit) you have the right to defend yourself no matter where you are.

 

[hildar]

North Carolina's Castle Doctrine allows you to use lethal force against the threat of death or bodily harm.

~~North Carolina's Castle Doctrine protects people in their *home, workplace or automobile. It allows a person to use defensive force, including lethal force, if they have a reasonable sense of fear of serious bodily harm in their home, workplace or car. North Carolina law does not require the person to retreat before using deadly force. The law presumes that "a person who unlawfully and by force enters or attempts to enter a person's home, motor vehicle, or workplace is presumed to be doing so with the intent to commit an unlawful act involving force or violence."

The law goes on to read, "a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have the duty to retreat in any place he or she has the lawful right to be if either of the following applies: he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another."~~


* The new law defines a person’s home as any property with a roof where the person lives and also includes “curtilage,” which is the area immediately around a home. It defines a person’s workplace as any property with a roof used for commercial purposes. It says a home or workplace can be temporary or permanent and specifically says either one can be a tent.

Tell the county police that. I was almost arrested for just shooting one with a BB gun that tried to kill my rabbits. Animal control says it is the law that you can do it, however county police say it isn't.

 

[Starfire669]

So yesterday evening I see our neighbor (who is in training to become a police officer of all things) put on his swat commando gear and go hide behind a shed on their property.  Next thing I know there are bb's pingin' of my feeder while my roo and his favorite girl are getting a snack inside their fenced run!  Of course the shooting stops as soon as I round the corner and stare directly at missing shed slat he was shooting from.  My husband and I leaned a sheet of plywood up against the side of our run to block the neighbors view of my birds when they are locked in the chicken run/cage.  Now I'm afraid to let my chickens out in the yard because obviously my neighbor doesn't even have enough respect to discuss any issues with us before trying to kill my livestock in my yard , and inside the chicken pen even!

This is not a cram packed little suburban neighborhood either, I'm on a rural acre surrounded by empty 5 acre lots, and the coop is on the opposite side of the property as my one & only neighbor :/  In fact we built the coop awfully close to my bedroom window just so it would be as far from our neighbors as possible.  This is the same neighbor whose pit bulls frequently get out of his yard and roam the neighborhood.  I usually just put his dogs back in his yard when I see them out, and occasionally even secure whatever part of the fence they broke out of... perhaps I should rethink how I respond to his animals on my property, knowing how he is opting to respond to my birds that are on my property, and in their coop/run?!

Grrr.   
Suggestions?

I would definately contact authorities, as previous posters have stated. If he is shooting across the fence line, he is endangering your life as well as your birds. Its a felony in my state.
My immediate neighbors all tolerate or love my chickens because I have talked to them about it. I also have 6 dogs and get more comments about them being noisy (4 are Siberian Huskies), than I do about the chickens and geese. However, a family down the street has a bunch of dogs that are not confined or given any medical attention at all. They break into my neighbors yard after his chickens and he has killed 1 with a dead chicken in its mouth and reported it to the police. I myself have called animal control and the sheriff and was told if the animal is threatening my family, me or my animals, shoot to kill and report it. So if his dog comes on your property after your chickens, I would imagine you could use deadly force. An animal with a taste for blood, if not kept controlled, can quickly become dangerous to children as well.

 

[Dumb Kluck]

UPDATE: I took a couple of days to cool off, we built a small box coop for the roo and stashed him behind a bldg (silenced him all night and into the morn). When I saw my neighbor outside this morning, I decided to share the happy news that we found another home for the roo, and asked for confirmation that removal of the roo would solve the issue...
He denied having any problems with the rooster or it's noise, denied even being home the day in question, denied that his bb gun had the power to hit anything at that distance, and refused to say anything that could lead me to believe that he will cease fire. If anything, I left feeling threatened by his statement "Maybe you should take a picture next time".

 

[Starfire669]

UPDATE:  I took a couple of days to cool off, we built a small box coop for the roo and stashed him behind a bldg (silenced him all night and into the morn).  When I saw my neighbor outside this morning, I decided to share the happy news that we found another home for the roo, and asked for confirmation that removal of the roo would solve the issue...

He denied having any problems with the rooster or it's noise, denied even being home the day in question, denied that his bb gun had the power to hit anything at that distance, and refused to say anything that could lead me to believe that he will cease fire.  If anything, I left feeling threatened by his statement "Maybe you should take a picture next time".

Then do exactly what he said. Take a picture. Can you install motion cameras? That would be best, hid them from view and turn them on, when caught on camera he will go to jail for reckless endangerment and animal cruelty. If not possible, keep a camera on your person at all times and snap a pic of this retard in the act!

I would also inform him if you catch his dog on your property you will either shoot it or call animal control to solve that issue.

 

[Dumb Kluck]

Then do exactly what he said. Take a picture. Can you install motion cameras? That would be best, hid them from view and turn them on, when caught on camera he will go to jail for reckless endangerment and animal cruelty. If not possible, keep a camera on your person at all times and snap a pic of this retard in the act!

I would also inform him if you catch his dog on your property you will either shoot it or call animal control to solve that issue.

I don't expect to speak to him again unless he magically drops the defensiveness and offers a simple assurance that the the roo is/was the problem and the rest of my animals will be safe. Not sure I want to invest much more more $$$ into wood fences & surveillance, this kind of sh*t does not entertain me enough to participate.
I've trapped vicious dogs on my property and hauled them to animal control as need in the past. Once caught, a blanket over the cage will reduce yowling overnight.

 

[chiknhurder]

Tell the county police that. I was almost arrested for just shooting one with a BB gun that tried to kill my rabbits. Animal control says it is the law that you can do it, however county police say it isn't.

The Castle Doctrine is not meant to protect rabbits from dogs. You had mentioned that you and one of your kids had been attacked by a dog. That dog could have been legally shot and killed if you were in possession of a weapon at the time. That doesn't mean that you can go home, get a gun and go after the dog without knowing your laws. In my state, I have the right to kill any animal that is worrying or attacking/killing my chickens or any other livestock. I don't like to kill a dog because of an ignorant person but it's illegal to kill people so the dog is the unfortunate victim for doing what they do naturally.

I would recommend a trip to your county government's office and talk to them about your rights. Ask them to show you specific laws that keep you from killing a dog that has threatened or attacked your or your livestock. Chances are they just tell people that they can't shoot dogs because they don't want people killing dogs needlessly but when it comes right down to it, there may be no law at all that says you can't eliminate the problem dog(s).

 

[blucoondawg]

Tell the county police that. I was almost arrested for just shooting one with a BB gun that tried to kill my rabbits. Animal control says it is the law that you can do it, however county police say it isn't.

In many areas shooting a dog with a bb gun or shooting with any other gun with the intention of wounding is considered animal cruelty. Shooting them dead to protect your animals is not and is legal in most areas

 

[hildar]

The Castle Doctrine is not meant to protect rabbits from dogs. You had mentioned that you and one of your kids had been attacked by a dog. That dog could have been legally shot and killed if you were in possession of a weapon at the time. That doesn't mean that you can go home, get a gun and go after the dog without knowing your laws. In my state, I have the right to kill any animal that is worrying or attacking/killing my chickens or any other livestock. I don't like to kill a dog because of an ignorant person but it's illegal to kill people so the dog is the unfortunate victim for doing what they do naturally.

I would recommend a trip to your county government's office and talk to them about your rights. Ask them to show you specific laws that keep you from killing a dog that has threatened or attacked your or your livestock. Chances are they just tell people that they can't shoot dogs because they don't want people killing dogs needlessly but when it comes right down to it, there may be no law at all that says you can't eliminate the problem dog(s).

I know I asked Harnett county police department when the dog bit my daughter and he said no we could not even shoot and kill a dog on our own property. Even Mr. Turner next door killed one that bit his horse and he killed it he got 10 days in jail and a $5000 fine. According to them it is the police and AC responsibility not the person that harm comes to or the farm animals owners responsibility. You have a dog go near one of my $5000 Emus and believe me there will be hell to pay. This is why I fenced it all in and put up the highest voltage fence I could get around it. I had a dog learn real fast one day not to pee even on my mailbox. I have a wire running around the bottom and if one pees it gets a lift that would wake the dead.