Neighbor's dog came back for our ducks today! What to do?

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yesterday the neighbor's dog almost killed our beloved Nona Duck:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-and-is-breathing-heavy.1437864/post-23813263

I spoke with the neighbor yesterday when they brought injured Nona back home and she promised me to keep her dog at home.

Obviously she was not very successful and the dog came back for our ducks. The ducks alerted me, i looked out of the window and saw the dog with another duck in its mouth and, ran out of the house yelling loudly. The dog let go of the duck and tried to flee, but could not find a way through the fence (2ft tall), panicked and turned on me. I cornered it and called the neighbor to pick it up and a loud argument started, she is accusing us to have her dog injured with a shovel (my wife had a shovel in her hand b/c she was afraid of the growling, barking and snapping dog). Neighbor is threatening us with the police and the law now and i am not sure what to do now, i like to report the incidence somewhere just in case the neighbor really tries to press charges.

 

[sourland]

Report it to the police and to animal control. They need to prove that dog was rabies immunized, and you need to be on record that the dog bit you and attacked your flock.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I would contact animal control regarding the dog bite. They will have a very clear path forward for you to follow that or they will just collect it and destroy it per law. They might even know the laws regarding animals who attack livestock/fowl. I know my state has those laws on the books.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

The dog was on your property damaging your property. They have no case and the police won't do anything. If it was me I'd threatened her with small claims court, and get paintball gun.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I just discovered that the dog actually got me!
First picture is the dog cornered under my workbench.

I'm late to this ball game...but my husband works for the Health Dept in our state and is the person responsible for dealing with dog bites in the county. IN our state (your laws may be different), any dog bite that is reported to health officials (either your doctor or a hospital) MUST be reported to authorities by state law. At that point, the authority in that county MUST see vet records to show that the dog was PROPERLY vaccinated for rabies. If the owner CANNOT show vaccination records FROM A VET (many try to do it themselves), then they have two options - 1) dog must be quarantined by the state for 14 days at owner's expense OR 2) dog is put down, head chopped off and sent to a lab for rabies analysis.

Either way, these people can threaten all they want but the law is on YOUR side. Their animal came onto your property and threatened your livestock and yourselves. You are completely within your right to shoot it, hit it with a shovel, or do anything else to it that you choose. If they don't like it, they can pay the damages and keep their dog on their property.

 

[Aapomp831]

They’d have no case even if you shot it! I probably would have! That’s some BS... your property, your pets... you have the right to defend it. They sound like seriously negligent nightmare neighbors. I’m sorry you’re going through this, but seriously... shotgun time.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Definitely report the bite and the incident asap to your county sheriffs office & health authority. In my state (texas) the dog will need to be quarrantined at home if current on rabies shot, or quarrantined at a local animal hospital, the pound, etc if not currently vaccinated. If the dogs owner doesnt want to do this, the dog will be euthanized & tested for rabies. Once a dog/other animal bites a human, it is a game-changer. Considered much more serious than an animal "merely" killing livestock, which is in most areas legitimate grounds to shoot to kill in order to protect ones livestock. Your neighbor is using classic bullying/intimidation tactics against you. You are 100% in the right & have done nothing wrong, so dont be afraid of neighbor' s threats. Call her bluff and notify the authorities asap.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Sorry folks, i had a mental meltdown late yesterday evening and went to bed after i brought the ducks to bed and today wasn't any better!

I will go back to answer all your posts from yesterday and today, but first the good news: Nona Duck is doing much better today, she drank, ate and walked around. However there are some issues with her, probably mentally, please read the post in the other thread.

I went to my primary care doctor today, had an appointment anyways, she looked at my scratch and diagnosed a bite mark and sent me to a nearby urgent care clinic for a tetanus shot and notification of Animal Services.
At the urgent care clinic the doctor asked me how i had treated the wound and when i told her hot-water and soap, then rinsed with alcohol and finally applied triple antibiotic ointment she concluded that i don't need antibiotic injections around the wound. [Great relief for me with my "needle phobia"! ] - But i need to swallow a bunch of antibiotic-pills.
In regards of the tetanus-shot, i must have received a vaccination against tetanus in 2014 or ~15 during my greencard processing, together with countless other vaccinations. - I remember feeling like i'd hugged a porcupine at one point… So no additional shot necessary. [And a great victory for my "needle-phobia"!]

And guess what: Back home i received a call from Animal "Services":
A "call"! - Not a "return call"!
What's the difference? - Pretty Easy: I am the bad guy now!
The neighbors allege me to have injured their dog yesterday! They have found a couple of bruises on their dog like he was hit by a shovel.
And my cheeky mouth told the officer that, had i hit the dog with a shovel, it had suffered way more damages than a couple of bruises, in fact there would have been only one bruise, a very, very big one! - That didn't caught well and i was lectured that hitting an dog with a shovel would be animal cruelty and can be punished even with jail time…
At this point i told the officer that i would like to end this conversation, briefly explained her that the dog crossed two property lines, strayed way into my property, jumped a fence and attacked my ducks and that i have the right to defend my livestock!
At which point she interrupted me: "Yes, but not with a shovel!" - Continuing with "And by the way we were told that your ducks live in deplorable conditions and look neglected and emaciated." [A new word that i had to look up!]
And upon that terrible disappointment, i ended the phone call with the sentence "I will be home over the weekend and be working from home next week. You are invited to come here and check on the health of my poor ducks, but all those accusations are rubbish. Have a nice weekend!" and hung up.
Then called my legal insurance and asked if Neighborhood disputes are covered by my policy. - Yes they are! - Saved my day…

 

[TJAnonymous]

Sorry folks, i had a mental meltdown late yesterday evening and went to bed after i brought the ducks to bed and today wasn't any better!

I will go back to answer all your posts from yesterday and today, but first the good news: Nona Duck is doing much better today, she drank, ate and walked around. However there are some issues with her, probably mentally, please read the post in the other thread.

I went to my primary care doctor today, had an appointment anyways, she looked at my scratch and diagnosed a bite mark and sent me to a nearby urgent care clinic for a tetanus shot and notification of Animal Services.
At the urgent care clinic the doctor asked me how i had treated the wound and when i told her hot-water and soap, then rinsed with alcohol and finally applied triple antibiotic ointment she concluded that i don't need antibiotic injections around the wound. [Great relief for me with my "needle phobia"! ] - But i need to swallow a bunch of antibiotic-pills.
In regards of the tetanus-shot, i must have received a vaccination against tetanus in 2014 or ~15 during my greencard processing, together with countless other vaccinations. - I remember feeling like i'd hugged a porcupine at one point… So no additional shot necessary. [And a great victory for my "needle-phobia"!]

And guess what: Back home i received a call from Animal "Services":
A "call"! - Not a "return call"!
What's the difference? - Pretty Easy: I am the bad guy now!
The neighbors allege me to have injured their dog yesterday! They have found a couple of bruises on their dog like he was hit by a shovel.
And my cheeky mouth told the officer that, had i hit the dog with a shovel, it had suffered way more damages than a couple of bruises, in fact there would have been only one bruise, a very, very big one! - That didn't caught well and i was lectured that hitting an dog with a shovel would be animal cruelty and can be punished even with jail time…
At this point i told the officer that i would like to end this conversation, briefly explained her that the dog crossed two property lines, strayed way into my property, jumped a fence and attacked my ducks and that i have the right to defend my livestock!
At which point she interrupted me: "Yes, but not with a shovel!" - Continuing with "And by the way we were told that your ducks live in deplorable conditions and look neglected and emaciated." [A new word that i had to look up!]
And upon that terrible disappointment, i ended the phone call with the sentence "I will be home over the weekend and be working from home next week. You are invited to come here and check on the health of my poor ducks, but all those accusations are rubbish. Have a nice weekend!" and hung up.
Then called my legal insurance and asked if Neighborhood disputes are covered by my policy. - Yes they are! - Saved my day…

Call your local Health Dept and tell them you want to file a formal complaint about a vicious dog that came onto your property, attacked your animals, and bit you in the process. Explain that animal control is not taking it seriously and you are prepared to take legal measures against the county for liability if this is not escalated and resolved. Send a copy of this by email as well.

ETA- I explained your situation to my husband since he deals with dog bites. He said you need to call the Health Dept, explain that the dog came onto your property, bit you AND DREW BLOOD. State that you do NOT KNOW if the dog had rabies. These two points - drawing blood and rabies unknown - are VERY IMPORTANT.

He also advised getting an attorney because he said he would be EXTREMELY surprised if there were no legal protections for protecting your home and property from vicious dogs. Pretty much guarantee the county/city will agree with your attorney and put animal control in their place.

 

[deidreg]

Also, please, please see a doctor or go to an urgent care clinic today. Your bites may become infected. And you'll need a tetanus shot.