Neighbors dogs in coop. UPDATE! 2nd time. 911/charges/court today

[fasbendera]

I sure hope you billed him for mature birds and included the postage. I priced them out when I was impatient to get eggs my first year they are $$$$$$$$.

I let my chickens out to free range during the day when we are home. If a dog attacks my birds on my property I would hold that owner responsible. If my birds were attacked on their property or community property then it is my loss. I have been very lucky and have had a few close calls with the neighbors kids dogs but they love our chickens and after that they have been very careful to watch the dogs when their kids (adult children) are visiting.

 

[chickfillhay]

Yes we sent them a bill for the adult birds( turkeys and chickens and guineas) by certified mail on Wed. But haven't heard anything yet. I also gave him an email telling him to limit his contact to email only. I don't need the stress of confrontation. He is very judgemental and is quite frankly a bully....He hasn't contacted me since. I called the Sherif's office who intructed me to follow up with animal control and then call them back.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
I lived in on 40 acres in the middle of Illinois year ago, there was only one way to handle people who let their dogs run at large. SSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When they come looking I very stone faced said "nope haven't seen them lately".
I never understood the mentality that because you lived in the country that you can just let your dogs run at large. I guarantee you if someones cows, horses or chickens came tromping through his property he would have an issue with it.

 

[horsejody]

Don't let anybody tell you that it's not worth it to take a difficult neighbor to court over their dogs killing your flock. I did it, and the judge awarded me over $1000 when dogs killed 13 of my chickens. You're not the one being difficult. He is. You're not the one causing the problem. He is. There are only 2 problems with SSS. The idiot neighbor just gets another dog, and you are out of the cost of your dead animals. My SSS for problem neighbor dogs is Shoot, call the Sheriff ans Sue if they don't pay the damages. Don't be intimidated by bully neighbors. Your property is not a dog park.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
I agree you need to be reimbursed. I tried to be a nice neighbor and return dogs that looked for chew toys on my property but after losses and all the aggrevation to be repaid for my losses and the realization that it wasn't going to stop I just decided enough was enough. I just kept the rifle loaded and unloaded on them before they could do any damage. I got to the point that the owners really didn't give two hoots about their dogs or they wouldn't let them roam free.
If they got another dog and didn't keep it on their property it too eventually went to visit is predessor, if it didn't get hit and killed by a car first.

 

[FortWorthChicks]

Well, the guy sounds like he is going to be difficult. I doubt he is going to just fork over the cash he owes you for the loss and damages. I would imagine your going to end up in court before he pays.

I do think that the dog WILL be back for more and when he comes back.... off the dog!

Oh and about the pictures, Man

I am so sorry for your loss. Thats just awful!

 

[rancher hicks]

For the sake of all chicken owners you must take legal action. Even if nothing comes from it the inconvenience of having to bother w/ legal action may be a deterent to other dog owners. I would start w/ small claims court and a large amount. Then if the judge arbitrator lowers the amount you won't feel too bad. As for the repair get some estimates and say my DH can't do it, I'll have to hire someone. Then buy a gun and shoot the poor dog who has a stupid owner. It' s up to him to keep his dogs out of harms way.

 

[Bunnylady]

Quote:
Oh, that's just silly! Dogs hunt mostly by smell and sight, not sound. It shouldn't matter if you had peacocks screaming the barn down, if they stayed on your place. You have dogs too, was their barking an invitation to come party?

This guy feels like he and his precious pooches are under attack, so he's grasping at straws to shift the blame to someone/something else. This isn't about country/city ways of life (dogs certainly aren't allowed to roam in cities!) though a citified misperception of idyllic country living may be a part of it. I suppose his next move is to try to claim that your dogs actually did it, and you are trying to blame his!

I am sorry about your birds. Income and profit motives aside, it's always tough to lose animals that you have raised and worked with, especially when it's such a senseless loss.

 

[savingdogs]

Sorry to hear about your birds. I am a dog lover but dogs need to be controlled by their owners.

I had a similar situation only a neighbor dog came over and attacked my dog. I was prompted to post because in our situation the neighbor said it was our fault because our dog "taunts" his dogs from his side of the fence. People will say anything. In the middle of the night some mysterious person came over and bashed out my back window of my car that night, just by coincidence (we live way out in the boonies down a long, windy gravel road...hmmmmmm......)

We meant to sue for the price of the vet bill since we couldn't prove he broke the window, but he moved away before we could accomplish it. He knew the dogs were going to be designated vicious and moved to avoid it (he was renting). However having him out of our neighborhood was worth it.

I'll say a few prayers that your nasty neighbor gets the urge to move away, too!

 

[gsim]

You are to be commended for remaining cool. With that many dead birds. that dog would have never made it out of my coop alive. And I likely would just start up my trusty old track loader and have deep-sixed it in my woods. I would not even look for an owner. BUT, I would take several pictures and save them just in case.