New neighbors dog killed 3 of our flock

[Suz13]

I have read a lot of the posts on here about neighborhood dogs killing flocks / livestock. We have a new neighbor - a couple purchased the 10 acres next to us and plans to build there. They are not here often an this point, maybe once a week. They bring their hunting dog who is very high strung and wanders all over the neighborhood. They do not watch the dog. For instance the husband is working with heavy machinery with ear plugs in his ears listing to something so there is no way he knows what the dog is up to (not sure where the wife goes when she comes- I think she sits in their truck with AC on). My point is they do not watch this dog. We let them know that we have birds and pets (chickens and ducks - a cat and dogs) that might be free ranging. Yesterday there dog went in our coop (door was open) and killed two hens and my daughters pet Rouen duck she also wounded two more ducks. My husband by chance was outside and was able to stop the attack although it took great effort including getting physical with the dog as she would not respond to his voice commands or his presence.

It has taken sufficient effort to keep our chickens and ducks healthy and provide proper housing etc and I have become attached to them as "pets". So I am REALLY upset about this. The neighbor was very apologetic and while I appreciate that the fact that he was making NO effort to control his dog upsets me - he also claimed he didn't know that the animals would be free ranging "for certain" (like that matters).

MY QUESTION: I have read our towns animal regulations and I think I can make a complaint that might be taken very seriously - however everyone in our neighborhood has dogs that roam to some degree and I am not sure I should make a formal complaint but I am fairly certain they will not be able to contain this dog. She is nuts. She does not listen well and has run into my house in the past and all over my property w/o stopping to acknowledge my kids or my husband and I. She has a shock color on. Should I make a formal complaint with animal control? I am concerned that it will create issues for all the roaming dogs in the neighborhood - none of which has killed anything on our property (yet).

Thanks
Suz

PS Our birds typically free range during the day and are always in at night. We are keeping the chickens in all day for now but the ducks being messy and loving water are still roaming during the day as we have 10 acres and a pond - and the ducks REALLY mess up the fenced in coop area if left in it. (The coop is large with a separate duck and chicken are inside but the outside fenced in area is smallish and not separated). We are replacing my daughters Rouen duck today with and adult female as she is heartbroken over losing "blackie".

 

[ambergds]

I am so sorry for your loss! Your poor daughter should not have to go through this! Please give her a big hug for me!
Yes you should file a complaint. There is no reason anyone in your neighborhood should have roaming dogs. It's not safe for anyone, including the dogs. Everyone's pets and livestock need to be contained to their own property or they shouldn't have them.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

So sorry for what happened!

No, I don't think you should call animal control. You could start a really big problem and bad relations with your neighbours. They are sorry about what happened, and hopefully will try to control their dog better after this.

If they don't, talk with them again, but filing a complaint is something you don't really want to get into in my opinion.

 

[kajira]

I have read a lot of the posts on here about neighborhood dogs killing flocks / livestock. We have a new neighbor - a couple purchased the 10 acres next to us and plans to build there. They are not here often an this point, maybe once a week. They bring their hunting dog who is very high strung and wanders all over the neighborhood. They do not watch the dog. For instance the husband is working with heavy machinery with ear plugs in his ears listing to something so there is no way he knows what the dog is up to (not sure where the wife goes when she comes- I think she sits in their truck with AC on). My point is they do not watch this dog. We let them know that we have birds and pets (chickens and ducks - a cat and dogs) that might be free ranging. Yesterday there dog went in our coop (door was open) and killed two hens and my daughters pet Rouen duck she also wounded two more ducks. My husband by chance was outside and was able to stop the attack although it took great effort including getting physical with the dog as she would not respond to his voice commands or his presence.

It has taken sufficient effort to keep our chickens and ducks healthy and provide proper housing etc and I have become attached to them as "pets". So I am REALLY upset about this. The neighbor was very apologetic and while I appreciate that the fact that he was making NO effort to control his dog upsets me - he also claimed he didn't know that the animals would be free ranging "for certain" (like that matters).

MY QUESTION: I have read our towns animal regulations and I think I can make a complaint that might be taken very seriously - however everyone in our neighborhood has dogs that roam to some degree and I am not sure I should make a formal complaint but I am fairly certain they will not be able to contain this dog. She is nuts. She does not listen well and has run into my house in the past and all over my property w/o stopping to acknowledge my kids or my husband and I. She has a shock color on. Should I make a formal complaint with animal control? I am concerned that it will create issues for all the roaming dogs in the neighborhood - none of which has killed anything on our property (yet).

Thanks
Suz

PS Our birds typically free range during the day and are always in at night. We are keeping the chickens in all day for now but the ducks being messy and loving water are still roaming during the day as we have 10 acres and a pond - and the ducks REALLY mess up the fenced in coop area if left in it. (The coop is large with a separate duck and chicken are inside but the outside fenced in area is smallish and not separated). We are replacing my daughters Rouen duck today with and adult female as she is heartbroken over losing "blackie".

I would document it - talk to the owners. Tell them the next time the dog comes onto your property and is attacking your livestock, you'll shoot it.
Then, follow through.

I live in farm country, my dogs can get out of my fences. they do NOT attach livestock. They sit in our horse pasture, and walk around our chickens/goats. I'd put them down myself if they attacked lifestock.

These people moving in, need to respect animals in the country. Building out there is all fine and dandy, but they owe you the replacement chickens. You can make an official complaint with the police department (not animal control.) and then the next time the dog comes onto your property, or near your family, shoot the thing.

They've been warned.

I'm not a fan of losing my animals, and I have ZERO guilt shooting a dog that will kill livestock.

Edited to add : What happens if their dog attacks one of your kids? If it would go onto someone else's property and couldn't be easily stopped in the middle of killing your animals - who's to say it wouldn't go after your other animals, or a child? It has no respect for humans or your property.

My animals know to stick to our property. Most of the other dogs around here, don't just "come on my property" either. We have a sheep dog (belongs to the neighbor down the road) that patrols the road in front of our house,a nd she actually will chase my dogs back onto my property if they go into the road. She feels it's her job to keep everyone where they belong. LOL That's actually taught my dogs not to wander, since we have so many acres of fence and small dogs are hard to contain. even with electric fencing over the wire fence.

 

[Suz13]

Thanks everyone I appreciate your advice and will think this through. Again, I view them as pets and watching one of my three surviving ducks limp around unable to keep up with the other two ducks because his foot is severely injured from the dog flames my anger - so I probably need more time to calm down and make a less emotional decision. : ) I am so MAD. Also, my husband did text the man last night to advise of exact losses (2 hens 1 duck, two injured ducks) post attack and the man has not replied. Although they did discuss the "event" and the man did apologize in person and offer to cover the losses prior to that text - we were unsure of how many chickens were dead as the survivors fled to the woods and we had to go find them so we updated him once we knew - just the hens he pinned down in the coop were killed (and the one duck that fled to the coop). Sad where they ran for safety was their undoing.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

I would document it - talk to the owners. Tell them the next time the dog comes onto your property and is attacking your livestock, you'll shoot it.
Then, follow through.

I live in farm country, my dogs can get out of my fences. they do NOT attach livestock. They sit in our horse pasture, and walk around our chickens/goats. I'd put them down myself if they attacked lifestock.

These people moving in, need to respect animals in the country. Building out there is all fine and dandy, but they owe you the replacement chickens. You can make an official complaint with the police department (not animal control.) and then the next time the dog comes onto your property, or near your family, shoot the thing.

They've been warned.

I'm not a fan of losing my animals, and I have ZERO guilt shooting a dog that will kill livestock.

Edited to add : What happens if their dog attacks one of your kids? If it would go onto someone else's property and couldn't be easily stopped in the middle of killing your animals - who's to say it wouldn't go after your other animals, or a child? It has no respect for humans or your property.

My animals know to stick to our property. Most of the other dogs around here, don't just "come on my property" either. We have a sheep dog (belongs to the neighbor down the road) that patrols the road in front of our house,a nd she actually will chase my dogs back onto my property if they go into the road. She feels it's her job to keep everyone where they belong. LOL That's actually taught my dogs not to wander, since we have so many acres of fence and small dogs are hard to contain. even with electric fencing over the wire fence.

This! Don't mess around with the lives of your flock. After having to replace a hunting dog a few times your neighbor will cease his foolishness.

 

[ambergds]

I want to add that I don't live in the country, although I wish I did. I live on a half acre in a rural area of a city. It's easy to keep my pets contained to my property and I expect my neighbors to do the same. I can understand, and respect that things are different in the country. I think waiting until you calm down is a good idea. I hope he responds to your text and makes good on his promise to compensate. Please update.

 

[kajira]

I want to add that I don't live in the country, although I wish I did. I live on a half acre in a rural area of a city. It's easy to keep my pets contained to my property and I expect my neighbors to do the same. I can understand, and respect that things are different in the country. I think waiting until you calm down is a good idea. I hope he responds to your text and makes good on his promise to compensate. Please update.

The one nice thing about the country - is people who have GOOD livestock dogs, like my neighbors sheep dog, who patrols our road, is she keeps racoons, coyotee's and other predators away from our property too. I would HATE if she just disappeared, and we had to buy our own sheep dog. I like that I don't have to take care of her, and she still protects our property! LOL

 

[Shaunassy]

While its perfectly within your rights to file a formal complaint since your neighbor has offered to pay for the damage i wouldnt. I would go over to their house and explain to them that while you will take the money and appreciate the gesture that it cant happpen again because it cant replace the time and love you put into your pets and it doesnt really solve the problem. If you can, let them know your recording the convo on your phone or something as documentation that they have been warned incase it happens again because if it does you will file a complaint or if you feel threatened will shoot the dog. But dont record them without permission as that is illegal. If they say no to the recording try having them sign something. If they wont do either i recommend investing in a camera system or game cams around your property so if it does happen again you have proof the dog is running around and that it killed your pets so when you call animal control you have solid proof. Each time the dog runs free whether it comes it kills your pets or not and is on your property and yoy show it to animal control they will get cited amd have to pay a fine and if it still doesnt change after so many times they will remove the dog. But try a peaceful resolution first and let them know you dont want a bad relationship with them but you will do what is necessary to protect both your pets and family.

 

[kajira]

This! Don't mess around with the lives of your flock. After having to replace a hunting dog a few times your neighbor will cease his foolishness.

IT's a bad hunting dog anyways, if it kills and mauls other animals. Most hunting dogs will retrieve, hold, or are breed to go after pigs, not randomly kill and maim livestock.

It's a poorly trained dog, who's owner's apparently don't care what happens to it.

Reading posts like this make me so mad. I hate that people would have animals that they treat like this, and don't even seem to care if their animal does something bad.