off-leash dogs - ways to manage the neighbors?

[redhen]

Quote:
I'm trying to understand why you do everything in secret. If you are doing something that you Know is your right and honestly, why do you have to sneak around and do stuff? Sneaking doesn't show honest actions.

What is the harm in informing the owner of their own pets actions? Inform them and inform the animal control. If anything happens, then the owners of the dogs can't deny not knowing. Once they have been informed and their dogs are still a pest then take care of them.

I think HighCountryChicken's solution is very good. Make them pay for their dog's actions and let them know that you are willing to solve your problem with a gun if you need to.... but inform them first. Give them a benefit of the doubt that it was a mistake on their part and let them correct it.

Who said i was striving to be honest??

My main goals would be:
1: To protect my birds in MY own yard
2: To protect my birds in MY yard withOUT shooting the dog. (taking the dog to the pound is much better than shooting it..IMO..)
And heres a novel idea....you dont EVEN have to agree with me on this!

ALSO..i wanted to add..yes, my FIRST thing i would do is tell the neighbors...i had assumed the OP had already done this... I would have.

 

[flakey chick]

Quote:
That approach is only good for dealing with honest, rational, responsible neighbors. You know the kind of neighbors who wouldn't intentionally just let their dogs run amok. The kind of neighbors I have.

I have found through other people's experience on this site that the dogs most often causing trouble are owned by irresponsible people. They want revenge if you hurt their pet- no matter how much trouble/damage their pet caused you. Neighbors have done a great deal to threaten and harrass people who killed their pets.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
I'm trying to understand why you do everything in secret. If you are doing something that you Know is your right and honestly, why do you have to sneak around and do stuff? Sneaking doesn't show honest actions.

What is the harm in informing the owner of their own pets actions? Inform them and inform the animal control. If anything happens, then the owners of the dogs can't deny not knowing. Once they have been informed and their dogs are still a pest then take care of them.

I think HighCountryChicken's solution is very good. Make them pay for their dog's actions and let them know that you are willing to solve your problem with a gun if you need to.... but inform them first. Give them a benefit of the doubt that it was a mistake on their part and let them correct it.

It's not her responsibility to seek out anybody and tell them where their dog is. It was running stray. It went to the pound. PERIOD!! That's what happens to strays (if they're lucky). Let the owner make the effort to actually go find their dog. It's their responsibility to seek out their lost dog. It's not Red's responsibility to seek out the neighbors and wipe their butts and hold their hands.

BTW I can tell you from personal experience that the people stupid enough to let their dogs roam are also stupid enough to be in denial and think that everybody loves their darling dog as much as they do. They never believe that their dogs killed chickens, and they never believe that a chicken can be a pet or worth more than a couple of dollars. If they have a fence that their dog has escaped from 100 times, they will put it in the same fence to escape a 101st time. If the dog has slipped it's collar and run off 100 times, they will put the same collar on it so it can slip it the 101st time. Then they stand there like an idiot and say, "I really tried to keep the dog in my yard, but I just can't stop him."

If a dog owner cares so little about their dog that they let it roam and can't be bothered to look for it at the pound themselves, then they really shouldn't have a dog anyway. If the dog is taken to the pound and the owner doesn't claim it, it at least has a chance to be adopted by somebody that actually cares about it.

 

[teach1rusl]

When it comes down to it, you need to take whatever proactive measures you can to protect your chickens...taller fence? larger covered run so you don't have to let them out? deterrent dog of your own? It all involves more money on your part.

Or you can be reactive. You'd probably win in small claims court if you caught a neighbors dog who'd injured/killed one or more of your chickens (I saw something along those lines on a Judge Judy episode) inside YOUR fence, but then you're still out a (possibly beloved) chicken. I'd guess that just about every city/township in America has an ordinance about restricting/containing dogs, but some places, especially rural areas, don't enforce them unless they have to (individ. complaints).

Personally, I'd opt for being proactive...less heartbreak.

 

[Emzyyy]

Quote:
Really, you let your dogs roam free? You dont care if they go into other peoples yards? Then dont cry when your dog dosent come home...I dont have to find a dogs owner that LETS his dogs roam free...because they must not care too much about the dogs to let them roam free. I wouldnt waste my time/energy finding that idiot owner. IMO
Now..if the dogs get out on accident and its not a regular thing..and hte owners actually CARE where the dogs are...then i'd tell the owners..because the dogs got out on accident. Thats differant IMO

Its the owner's fault if the dog is always out not the dogs they don't know they are not supposed to be out because the owners don't do anything about it, so you shouldn't shoot and kill a dog take it to a local humane society.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Really, you let your dogs roam free? You dont care if they go into other peoples yards? Then dont cry when your dog dosent come home...I dont have to find a dogs owner that LETS his dogs roam free...because they must not care too much about the dogs to let them roam free. I wouldnt waste my time/energy finding that idiot owner. IMO
Now..if the dogs get out on accident and its not a regular thing..and hte owners actually CARE where the dogs are...then i'd tell the owners..because the dogs got out on accident. Thats differant IMO

Its the owner's fault if the dog is always out not the dogs they don't know they are not supposed to be out because the owners don't do anything about it, so you shouldn't shoot and kill a dog take it to a local humane society.

Em,
I DO agree with that! I dont even have a gun.(that would just be scary!

) I would always hope that if at all possible, someone should try to catch the dog and bring it to a shelter. Sometimes though, for some people thats not possible. Some dogs will bite strangers..etc...so, its a tough call to make. But i agree, kiddo. I, personally would always try to catch the dog first. Because you are SO right! Its NOT the dogs fault..

 

[mountaintopchicken]

Hi - I know exactly where you live because I used to live there myself. I went to UVM.

A few realities: you won't educate all of the dog owners in Burlington not to let their dogs off-leash. It's to much of a transient population, what with college students moving in and out, and not all of them being responsible. I would also feel very hesitant to let chickens freerange in my yard in Burlington even without the dogs. After all, it is a city, and while most people in it are nice respectful people, not all of them are. When I lived in Burlington, we had thefts - bikes gone from apartments, toolboxes gone from the back of pickup trucks parked right outside the house, on and on. Some people take and damage things and chickens are vulnerable.

I would invest in making a good, sturdy dog-proof run, and I would put a lock on it to deter any people who might cause a problem. You could even make the run movable, if you want to give your birds access to grass.

I don't think getting your own guard dog is that useful in your particular situation - a lot of folks are suggesting that, but I don't think they are picturing the type of neighborhood involved here too well. Also anything involving guns just ain't gonna work in Burlington - the OP would get arrested!

Wishing you luck w/your birds!!!

 

[mamaKate]

Quote:
I was blessed to live in an area like yours many years ago. The dogs all knew each other and we knew all their names. I agree it's the best possible life for a dog. When we moved to town, it took a long time to convince my young sons that it was possible for a dog to bite a person. As for uncontrolled city dogs, a firm NO! backed up by a long switch will usually stop them. Absolutely FT. Knox your birds when you can't guard them.

 

[ducks4you]

Its the owner's fault if the dog is always out not the dogs they don't know they are not supposed to be out because the owners don't do anything about it, so you shouldn't shoot and kill a dog take it to a local humane society.

Em,
I DO agree with that! I dont even have a gun.(that would just be scary! ) I would always hope that if at all possible, someone should try to catch the dog and bring it to a shelter. Sometimes though, for some people thats not possible. Some dogs will bite strangers..etc...so, its a tough call to make. But i agree, kiddo. I, personally would always try to catch the dog first. Because you are SO right! Its NOT the dogs fault..
(sorry--quote wouldn't work right, today)

I am GLAD that you respect guns. I would hope that you would respect a loose dog that you don't know, as well. A dog which would attack your chickens might attack your children, or attack you.

Personally, I know the gun laws in my town, county, and state, I am a gun owner who practices, I do not indescriminately shoot any animals, BUT I am prepared to protect me and my own.

 

[speckledhen]

It really does not matter why the dog is there, just that it is there. Doesn't matter whose fault it is, it must be dealt with. Dogs always suffer for their owners' mistakes and this is no different. Personally, I take no chances, on being bitten or having my birds injured and/or killed. So, I will not try to catch a dog, to take it to the pound or its owner or anywhere else. That is why I have perimeter fenced two of my five acres, so maybe I won't have to make that choice.