Neighborhood dogs keep killing chickens

[ChickenCanoe]

I am in Missouri. Dispatching dog by me, legally, can only be done by me if offending dog is on my property and in the act of killing / harassing my stock. The dogs actions are usually of short duration and I am physically home only 12 hours per day and sleep a good 7 hours of those 12 so my odds of my being present to go after dog legally are low. I also live in a dog rich area. I have killed dogs, not just talked about it, and found that is generally not the best approach for a variety of reasons. First you tend to loose birds before dog dispatched and secondly you tend to develop poor relationships with neighbors regardless of legalities. What is generally more effective is to be proactive by upgrading your defense on the actual coop. Keeping chickens long-term is expensive so do your investing correctly. If you have dogs that tear apart your construction (I have dealt with that) then make it stronger. I have used horse panels that even a hyena can not chew through. Another approach is a little hotwire strategically placed around coop that zaps dog as it probes coop perimeter, A small, relatively low cost, solar charger of about 0.05 Joules will provide all the repelling power needed. Even the most determined dog will back off when it deals with a combination of a physical coop wall and a difficult to negotiate little wire you can not avoid touching when trying to defeat wall. I get by with really flimsy pens when they are also protected by hot wire, The setup stops other predators very well as an additional benefit. The hotwire stops diggers too.

That's not how I read the law. It was rewritten and stiffened in defense of the livestock owner a few years ago.
I'll try to find it but the way I read it, I can track any dog that worries my livestock across the state and kill it wherever I find it except contained on its owner's property.
I had an argument with animal control about this a few years ago and they were appalled when I told them I planned on killing the dogs if they returned. I ended up getting connected with the supervisor and he agreed that was the way the law was written.

Also, if you have an unrelated adult witness catching the dog in the act, the county has to reimburse for lost livestock. Each county is supposed to keep a fund on hand for that purpose paid by dog licenses. I think you only have about 3 days to request said reimbursement.

Where abouts are you? No waiting lists for guns here in Wisconsin. A low impedance fence charger won't physically harm a kid or will hurt a little and scare the bejeezus out of them but that's about it. Farm kids regularly challenge the electric fence with their buddies, it's sort of a right of passage, I don't recommend peeing on it though lol

Same here. There are gun stores all over with a surplus of used guns as well as new.
They have been selling like hotcakes because some so called news outlets have been scaring people for years that Obama wants to take their guns away. That will never happen. That eventuality is the least of my worries.

 

[BBQJOE]

Shoot, shovel, shut up.

 

[pipAchick]

I'm on East coast&VA stores are out of ammo. Waiting lists for certain firearms,thank goodness for online ammo.

Lol@ blucoondog! yeah for some reason the boys espically, always must pee on the electric fences,,,thanks for the clarity now on "right of passsage" thing.

 

[MeepBeep]

There is no shortage of firearms in my area, I could go to Walmart, Bass Pro or any other gun store and buy pretty much anything right now, the market is saturated... And almost all ammo is available well, the only real ammo shortage that still exist is 22LR, but even that can be found at the local gun shops if you want to pay a little premium over Walmart or online prices, of if you show up on Walmart when the truck arrives they pretty much get ammo two or three times a week...

Not that, that matters to me, I have had owned firearms since I was a teen (or could easily borrow one) and have plenty of ammo on hand to dispatch a predator threat...

 

[blucoondawg]

All rimfire ammo is in short supply here 22, 22mag, 17hmr but if you stop at the stores every week you can find it here and there. Most are at a 1 box per brand limit

 

[raggy907]

I've lost chickens to neighborhood dogs too, and the family was pretty upset about it. I went through the stage where I planned to kill the dogs, but truthfully there are LOTS of dogs and all I would accomplish is burning bridges with all my neighbors. I finally just upgraded all my coop and fencing. Eventually it will get strong enough that the dogs won't be able to get in.
Good luck,
Rich in Alaska

 

[centrarchid]

That's not how I read the law. It was rewritten and stiffened in defense of the livestock owner a few years ago.
I'll try to find it but the way I read it, I can track any dog that worries my livestock across the state and kill it wherever I find it except contained on its owner's property.
I had an argument with animal control about this a few years ago and they were appalled when I told them I planned on killing the dogs if they returned. I ended up getting connected with the supervisor and he agreed that was the way the law was written.

Also, if you have an unrelated adult witness catching the dog in the act, the county has to reimburse for lost livestock. Each county is supposed to keep a fund on hand for that purpose paid by dog licenses. I think you only have about 3 days to request said reimbursement.

That approach will get you spanked by someone bigger than you at some point. Having poor protection on the poultry owners side can also get them into trouble as well when I scrutinize this. This needs to be kept in the concept of chickens.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree that someone would be upset if their dogs were killed. All I can tell you is how the Missouri statutes read. I've been down this road.

Dogs may be killed, when.
273.030. If any person shall discover any dog or dogs in the act of killing, wounding or chasing sheep in any portion of this state, or shall discover any dog or dogs under such circumstances as to satisfactorily show that such dog or dogs has or have been recently engaged in killing or chasing sheep or other domestic animal or animals, such person is authorized to immediately pursue and kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that such dog or dogs shall not be killed in any enclosure belonging to or being in lawful possession of the owner of such dog or dogs.

Recovery of damages for sheep killed--disposition of dog, penalty.
273.020. In every case where sheep or other domestic animals are killed or maimed by dogs, the owner of such animals may recover against the owner or keeper of such dog or dogs the full amount of damages and the owner shall forthwith kill such dog or dogs; and for every day he shall refuse or neglect to do so, after notice, he shall pay and forfeit the sum of one dollar, and it shall be lawful for any person to kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that whenever in any case the facts shall show that in the worrying or killing, maiming or wounding of any said sheep or other domestic animals that the same was done by two or more dogs belonging to different owners, then the plaintiff, the person whose animals were killed, wounded or maimed, may at his or her election, join all of the owners of said dogs as joint tort-feasors or may sue each one separately at his or her election.

Killing or injuring a dog, reasonable apprehension of imminent harm is an absolute defense.
273.033. 1. In any action for damages or a criminal prosecution against any person for killing or injuring a dog, a showing by a preponderance of the evidence that such person was in reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful contact by the dog or was acting to prevent such imminent harmful contact against another person by the dog shall constitute an absolute defense to criminal prosecution or civil liability for the killing or injuring of such animal.
2. If a person has, on at least two occasions, complained to the county sheriff or to the appropriate animal control authority in his or her jurisdiction that a dog, not on a leash, has trespassed on property that such person owns, rents, or leases or on any property that constitutes such person's residence, and when at least one of the prior two complaints was motivated by reasonable apprehension for such person's safety or the safety of another person or apprehension of substantial damage to livestock or property, then any subsequent trespass by such dog shall constitute prima facie evidence that such person was in reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful contact. The county sheriff or animal control authority to which any complaint under this section is made shall notify the owner of the alleged trespassing dog of such complaint. Failure by a county sheriff or animal control authority to notify a dog owner under this subsection shall not invalidate or be construed in any way to limit any other provision of this subsection.
3. The court shall award attorney's fees, court costs, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the defendant in defense of any criminal prosecution or in any civil action brought by a plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant has an absolute defense as provided in subsection 1 of this section.
4. This section shall not be construed to provide an absolute defense to a person who is engaged in or attempting to engage in a criminal activity at the time of the apprehension of imminent harmful contact, or to a person for any damage or injury to any person or property other than the dog itself that may result from actions taken in an attempt to injure or kill such dog.

Application to recover damages from fund.
273.110. 1. No owner or custodian of livestock or poultry which has been injured or killed by dogs shall be entitled to receive any portion of the county dog license fund unless within ten days after suffering such loss or damage he, with two other credible residents of the county, not kin to him by blood or marriage or not in his employ, make written application supported by affidavit to the county clerk on blanks furnished by the county clerk, stating:
(1) That he is a resident of the state of Missouri, and that he has resided in such county for more than thirty days immediately preceding the date of the injury or killing of his livestock or poultry;
(2) That he was the owner or custodian on such date of such livestock or poultry;
(3) The legal description of the premises on which such livestock or poultry was injured or killed;
(4) A complete description as to the number, weight and color of such livestock or poultry;
(5) The market value thereof on the date of such injury or killing.
2. The county clerk shall file all such applications and affidavits so received by him to be examined and passed upon by the county commission, except that no claim shall be considered or paid for the destruction of livestock or poultry by a dog or dogs belonging to the owner of such livestock or poultry.


http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/chapters/chapText273.html

 

[blucoondawg]

I would call BS the poor protection for the chickens getting you into trouble. If said chickens are on your property and a roaming dog attacks and gets shot it is the fault of the dog owner. Nowhere does the law say you can only protect livestock if it's securely enclosed in a proper fence, it is not illegal to let chickens range on your property. Also who is to say what is proper protections for chickens, almost any fence can be defeated by the right predator and situation unless you want to spend thousands to put up massive chain-link fencing double protected by electric, I am not going through the trouble, the expense, not deal with an eyesore around my property because some feel it's ok to let dogs run. A bullet is very cheap, I reload.

As far as making enemies with neighbors, if a neighbor is going to do this sort of thing with their dogs odds are I'm already their enemy and I really don't care, these people think they have rights to make your life hell on your own property, believe me I have one of these *** hats right down the road

 

[MeepBeep]

[COLOR=008000]273.030[/COLOR]. If any person shall discover any dog or dogs in the act of killing, wounding or chasing sheep in any portion of this state, or shall discover any dog or dogs under such circumstances as to satisfactorily show that such dog or dogs has or have been recently engaged in killing or chasing sheepor other domestic animal or animals, such person is authorized to immediately pursue and kill such dog or dogs; provided, however, that such dog or dogs shall not be killed in any enclosure belonging to or being in lawful possession of the owner of such dog or dogs.

Although Illinois law does not directly specify or allow pursuit of the dogs off your property when you witness them harming livestock, case law does support pursuit within reason on a case to case basis...