Neighbors dog

[LowerBamaMama]

Hopefully it will be! For the sake of documentation I'm gonna take pictures of the chicken bodies (if I can find my poor roo! I'll at least get documentation of the bloody feathers all around the coop which should allay any doubt that it happened in my property) I took a picture of her dog digging in my garbage when it got BACK out after killing the birds so I have that.
AND I called my chicken breeder that I bought the chicks from and got a valid quote from him and also email Greenfire asking if they could give me a quote for their bielfelder pol pullets and 5mo old Roos. Those birds are NOT cheap and I think the $85 the chicken man here quoted is way too low. They're $30 as day old chicks...
Hopefully with that stacked up I'll have some satisfaction.

 

[beginnergirl]

Also, do I have to prove her dog did it? I have one body and a pile of bloody feathers from another but no one else was here so it's just my word and a crime scene...

So sorry about your chickens. I hope there is a chance your rooster might have survived and will return. Do take photos of the chickens, hole, garbage. Has her dog ever chased your chickens before? If you saw her dog attacking your chickens, that should be enough. But if you are assuming it is her dog but there are no witnesses, it would be hard to prove.

Is there is a mediation service or someone who is unbiased and could work with you both to find a solution you both could accept? Minister, teacher, mediator? This might give you more peace of mind in the future than engaging in a legal battle with your neighbor. It will be stressful and you might only gain $35 if you are fined for having a dog at large. The relationship might not be worth trying to salvage. That is up to you. Stress is bad for us. So do what makes sense.

Are you able to putt up an electric fence? Good fences make good neighbors!

If you report it be prepared that your neighbor might retaliate in reporting your dog being off your property. . They are two separate things, but you don't want animal control on your back. If you didn't let your dog roam I would report it in a heartbeat IF there is a witness.

Good luck whatever you decide. In some counties here any animal chasing livestock can be shot. Do check your local laws.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

So sorry about your chickens. I hope there is a chance your rooster might have survived and will return. Do take photos of the chickens, hole, garbage. Has her dog ever chased your chickens before? If you saw her dog attacking your chickens, that should be enough. But if you are assuming it is her dog but there are no witnesses, it would be hard to prove.

Is there is a mediation service or someone who is unbiased and could work with you both to find a solution you both could accept? Minister, teacher, mediator? This might give you more peace of mind in the future than engaging in a legal battle with your neighbor. It will be stressful and you might only gain $35 if you are fined for having a dog at large. The relationship might not be worth trying to salvage. That is up to you. Stress is bad for us. So do what makes sense.

Are you able to putt up an electric fence? Good fences make good neighbors!

If you report it be prepared that your neighbor might retaliate in reporting your dog being off your property. . They are two separate things, but you don't want animal control on your back. If you didn't let your dog roam I would report it in a heartbeat IF there is a witness.

Good luck whatever you decide. In some counties here any animal chasing livestock can be shot. Do check your local laws.

There were a LOT of his feathers and quite a bit of blood leading into the woods. I would be surprised if he survived but my fingers are crossed.
We have had a decent neighborly relationship UNTIL she out up the fence lol our kids went to each other's birthday parties, the kids have come over to play, etc but after I lose my two babies, all bets are off and the heck with having good terms with her if she's gonna shrug off her dog killing my babies. I text her when it happened trying to be amiable and she made it clear she wasn't willing to take responsibility so I will let the police be my mediator.
If she decides to report my dogs for being in her property then that will be ok but I'm not going to let it go just because I don't want to accept responsibility for my dogs. If I only get $35, in the long run at least that may get me one chicken to replace the two I lost.
And if I don't report this time and her dog does it again? The laws posted before said that a repeat offence incurs Double the compensation so I would not risk NOT filing. If her dogs escapes again and kills more birds I will be that much more screwed!!
And yes, from what I just read in the laws above, I can (and will) legally shoot the dog if it comes back.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Slightly off topic but I thought it was interesting... In Alabama you can destroy any dog that chases livestock OR DISTURBS PLANTED GROUNDS... Farmers don't play around around here!

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Update:
I called the police this morning and was told they don't do reports on livestock kills... I was told to document it myself and take her to small claims court. I text her again in a last ditch effort to deal with it quickly and easily but I feel like it's probably gonna end in my making a claim *sign*

 

[enola]

Don't you have any Animal Control officer for your county?

 

[Sjisty]

In my opinion, if your dogs are allowed to roam free, then you cannot really complain about somebody else's dog roaming free. You are both in the wrong, even though your dogs haven't yet done any damage. Leash laws are for all dogs and dog owners.

Are you even sure it was her dogs? There could be another predator involved. If there were no witnesses, it may be very hard to prove in small claims court.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The two are separate issues, but both need to be addressed.

 

[jimbob86]

In my opinion, if your dogs are allowed to roam free, then you cannot really complain about somebody else's dog roaming free. You are both in the wrong, even though your dogs haven't yet done any damage. Leash laws are for all dogs and dog owners.

Are you even sure it was her dogs? There could be another predator involved. If there were no witnesses, it may be very hard to prove in small claims court.

+1.

Good fences make for good neighbors .....

Keep your dogs on your property, and advise that neighbor do the same....... this is REALLY important for the dogs' sake, because it appears AL law permits stray dogs to be destroyed (shot in the act?) if they are causing damage to "plantings" or harassing stock ....

 

[LowerBamaMama]

No doubt it was her dog. It was carrying the poor pullet back into its yard when we found it and it ran off and then it had the nerve to come charging at me to get at my cat I was holding (which is when I caught it and put it back in its yard)

And what her dogs do and what mine could do have nothing to do with each other. They are separate issues.

There are animal control officers for the county but idk what good they could do? The laws here say that animals known to kill livestock should not be allowed to live but idk how enforceable that is...