We lost three chickens this summer. Our little dog got two and the other just disappeared yesterday. I caught our dog red pawed so he knew what he was being punished for. A paint brush is a very good teacher! He has learned his lesson well.
I would deal with a neighbor that owns uncontroled dogs in this way:
First I would give the neighbor a heads up. They may not know what has happened. This heads up would be along with a request for no further predations.
If another incident occured I would demand payment along with the undestanding that if a third incident occured I would take whatever action I felt neccessary to avoid predations in the future which may including killing of the predacious dog.
This may sound harsh to some but anyone has the right to protect their property and dogs can be controled by many methods. In rural Minnesota it is commonly understood that any dog caught or observed killing or running livestock or deer will be killed if possible. All but some of the most newely arrived city slickers adhere to this code. I personally know one old farmer that killed two of his own dogs when informed that they were caught killing sheep.
On the other hand I will not kill natural predators (hawks, owls racoons etc.) They are having a hard enough time surviving as we gobble up their environment. They are entitled to survive the only way they know how. I will try to protect my flock but that is as far as I will go. I will kill possums as they are not natural to our area.
I would deal with a neighbor that owns uncontroled dogs in this way:
First I would give the neighbor a heads up. They may not know what has happened. This heads up would be along with a request for no further predations.
If another incident occured I would demand payment along with the undestanding that if a third incident occured I would take whatever action I felt neccessary to avoid predations in the future which may including killing of the predacious dog.
This may sound harsh to some but anyone has the right to protect their property and dogs can be controled by many methods. In rural Minnesota it is commonly understood that any dog caught or observed killing or running livestock or deer will be killed if possible. All but some of the most newely arrived city slickers adhere to this code. I personally know one old farmer that killed two of his own dogs when informed that they were caught killing sheep.
On the other hand I will not kill natural predators (hawks, owls racoons etc.) They are having a hard enough time surviving as we gobble up their environment. They are entitled to survive the only way they know how. I will try to protect my flock but that is as far as I will go. I will kill possums as they are not natural to our area.
