OMGOMGOMGOMG>>>>>> UPDATE!:

[MIChicken]

Wow. How horrifying! I hope you have calmed down a bit.

I want to thank you for sharing your story though. I had never thought about dogs as a real predator. That may sound silly but I was focusing on raccoons, cats, hawks, opposums, you know wild animals. We have a dog who doesn't bother the chicks. We also have an invisible fence around our property that keeps him from getting out but it also lets everything else in, including dogs. Whenever a neighborhood dog gets loose it always ends up in our yard playing with our dog. Can you see where I'm going with this? So once again, thank you for opening up my eyes.

But to answer your question, ask for compensation. It was their fault. People need to have control over their pets at all times for the pets safety and for other people's safety.

Hope you are feeling better!

 

[AHappychick]

dogs should be kept on leashes and contained to their property there are a few childen every year that are killed by stray dogs or ones that are aggressive and not contained. I agee that dog needed to be shot it was in the throws of killing and could have easily caused your DD a serious injury or death thank God the only ones killed were the chooks. That being said if you dont have one I would get some sort of fence if only to make your DD feel safe again.

 

[lishah2000]

Quote:
Dogs belong on their own property! A dog in prey drive is a dangerous animal. No matter how sweet the dog usually is, once in prey drive, it is in an aggressive mode and will redirect that aggression towards anything!

I would not try and grab my own two dogs if they were in prey drive mode. To do so would be asking to be hurt.

I love my dogs very much, but if they were to do the same thing - yes I would be very sad and probably upset, but it would be my fault. That's why I ALWAYS know where they are and have several layers of security so they do not leave the property.

If at all possible I would try to contain a dog, but if it was already killing and not stopping, I would do the same thing. It would weigh heavily on me being a dog lover.

In this case the OP had no choice - the dog was being aggressive and her daughter was in real danger.

 

[CMV]

I am so sorry for your devastating loss. Thank goodness your daughter was not injured. It's a tough situation for all involved, and everyone wants to weigh in with an opinion on how you should deal with it. It just shows how strongly we all feel about our animals. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. It sounds like you have a strong little girl- brave and daring. She'll be even stronger after this, and that's not a bad thing in this world we live in.

A tough situation. I am sorry.

 

[goldeneggtees]

I am a dog lover and have always been but I feel the right thing was done by shooting the dog. What else could they do? Having said that, I don't have a gun at home. So, I wonder what would I do? Probably go out there with a shovel just like their daughter and try and put a stop to the massacre. I just hope I'm never faced with that situation. I'm sorry your family has gone through this, it stinks for all involved.

 

[Big dreams]

I don't think you have time to decide if a dog or someone breaking into your house is able to be delt with, you only have a second to decide, if DH would have been thinking oh I wonder if I can call this dog off or grab it and the dog bit the DD face off he would have a lot worse to deal with now.... He had to protect his daughter, simple no time to think about it just didn't have a choice, at least that is what I think, I love dogs, I would hate to have to kill one but if one of my kids were in that position I would have no choice... if only the chickens were there then I could decide if I wanted to kill the dog or not... I would tell the neighbors it was not something I wanted to do but something I had to do.... and I am as sad as you!!!

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I am a huge fan of dogs and I love my dogs to death, but if it was my chicken run and my daughter beating a dog on the head with a shovel and it didn't stop and could have turned on her in a second?

Have you never seen a child mauled by a dog?

I would have wanted my DH to shoot the dog too.


Sorry, I would have been devastated if it was my dog, but a big dog, no collar attacking some one's livestock and not responding to being hit with a shovel? It would be my fault the dog got out (a horrible accident but my fault none the less) but would I rage at some one who hit the dog with a car?

The OP was within her rights. JMHO

 

[MIChicken]

She has every right to free range her birds on her property. Now if they were to wander onto the neighbors property, they would have been fair game to the dog. Just my opinion.

 

[lurky]

This Family did everything right. The fact that the dog was on her property killing her pets PROVES lack of responsibility. If the dog got loose, even one time, then they did something WRONG!!!!!! It does not mean it was intentional, but it was their responsibilty and they were wrong. We heard from an animal behavioral specialist who works with this type of dog, and he agreed with the handling of this situation. I think that trumps anyone who feels otherwise and the OP should not have to be defending her actions any longer.

 

[Vcomb]

If they come on your property and kill your livestock you're well within your right to eliminate the threat. If your chickens wandered over to their yard, then they were fair game. But since they did not then they were not. Definately seek compensation cause for some folks the only ways to get it through their head is through their wallet.

My cousin's dogs killed two young roosters on our property this winter. I had to move the pens to an unfenced area so I could clear some trees to fix a fence. Now for the screwy part, the dogs left the roosters on cords perfectly alone, but went over to the young roosters in the pens and took after them. Ripped the head off one, broke the neck of the other. I was gonna make him pay for them, but he's a selfrighteous lil worm who saw it as an inconvienciance to him that money could make disappear. Since he did not respect me and the fact that I had given him several warnings I said guess what, you get to work it off I ain't accepting your check. If he doesn't hold true (he leaves for basics in 9 days) I'll be making some phonecalls to a few folks who will MAKE him ("hello drill sargeant!

)


Sorry to hear of your loss. Dogs getting into pens is never an easy thing to take.