One less dog in the neighborhood!

[TennesseeTruly]

I feel badly for both the chicken owner and the dog. Unfortunately the dog owner should be held liable.

We have a second house on our property that has exotic parrots. There are almost $75,000 worth of parrots in there. I was sitting on my bed last night and saw two what I thought were coyotes, trying to get in there. I yelled to my husband who ran and got the gun and a baseball bat.

They weren't coyotes, but dogs. One is the same dog that is on my property constantly. We can't find out who owns him. The other dog ran under the trailer on our property. Try as he might, my husband couldn't get the dog out of there.

This morning I noticed it was no more than a puppy. Possibly 5-6 months old....poor thing. I don't know if it's a dump or lost but its terrified.

Called animal control but the guy is out of the office today. He's supposed to come out and get her tomorrow. My grandson caught her by the collar and we have her locked up in the dog kennel.

We were told to shoot her. The older dog that keeps coming on my property....absolutely if we can, we will. But this is just a puppy so no, we won't shoot her. Maybe the shelter can find a new home for her. She's a gorgeous pup.

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do....so I understand the poster completely.
Laurie

 

[rancher hicks]

Ya know this sucks. If the dog followed you that says something about the dog.
Yet and this is a big yet. I have a dog next door and I would do the same thing if he goes after my chickens. Ya gotta protect your own. Unfortunate as it is. Life doesn't always give us easy choices.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
It's not illegal in Texas to kill an animal that's attacking your livestock. There may be a pound where you are, but there's not one out here in the sticks. Life in the country is vastly different than it is in the city... and I've lived in both.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

I agree with most people on here that shooting the dog, though sad, was the right thing to do.

Plus, how can it be illegal if it was out of self-defense? That dog could've easily turned on the children during the killing spree.

And if the owner was ok with it then there really is no way for the OP to get in trouble.

 

[gpamela3499]

When I started reading the topic i was shocked and saddened by the shooting of a big friendly lab (they are my favorite breed) After reading a little more however I see that you did right. It is to bad the sheriff doesn't fine the woman and then pay you for the trauma you and your family went through and the heartache you must feel for having to take care of someone elses mess.

 

[gpamela3499]

Quote:
You know that is so true because here in the city the dog would be saved but the pound would destroy the chickens.

 

[skav2407]

I doubt it is illegal. Most states allow for this kind of stuff. I live in Rhode Island, a very liberal state (unfortunately) and it is allowed here. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE4/4-13/4-13-18.HTM

" § 4-13-18 Destruction of dogs in defense of person or livestock. – Any person may kill any dog that suddenly assaults him or her or any person of his or her family or in his or her company, while the person assaulted is out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper of that dog and any person may kill any dog found out of the enclosure of its owner or keeper, assaulting, wounding, or killing any cattle, sheep, lamb, horse, hog, or fowl, not the property of its owner. "

I would imagine that in states where livestock plays a more prominent role in everyday life the laws would be about the same, if not more lenient, towards people putting down dogs on their property.

 

[Marion]

When we first moved out here into the country from the city my daughter was gifted with a pair of chickens by a neighbor, they were pets and roamed freely. One day she was out in the yard, thankfully inside the fenced area of the backyard, with her puppy and what she described as "wolves" came after her pup, she was screaming, shaking and terrified. Because of the fence she was able to pick up her pup and run to the house. Unfortunately the chickens weren't so lucky and the "wolves" turned on them and grabbed the little hen up and took off. My husband was on his tractor up in the hayfield when he heard the screaming, I told him what happened and he grabbed up his shotgun as a man pulled into the yard and said that the animals were right down the road in a field eating the chicken and offered hubby a ride. I heard the shots and after a time hubby returned to say that he had shot the animal that was eating the chicken but it wasn't a wolf. It turned out to be a Wolf Grey Siberian Husky and her offspring that belonged to a man up the road (it was in his field that the dog was shot) and his daughter raised them. There was a bit of discomfort when hubby learned that he had shot a dog, the daughter said she wanted $600 for the animal and asked how much we wanted for the chicken... I told her $600... I think she understood because there has been no more said about it, that was 4 years ago. Recently some of her dogs got out again and came trying to get my guineas that are free roaming, hubby grazed one in the back foot and it ran off with the others, the woman came and asked him nicely to please come get her if the dogs were out again, to not shoot them... he told her bluntly that if it was possible he would do that but if they were threatening the livestock he would be forced to shoot them. So far she has not had them escape again and hopefully they never will... such is the life out in the country... we also have no animal control to speak of so the choices are few as to what has to be done. If my dogs were killing someone else's animals and I couldn't keep them home I would find a new home away from temptation for them. Everyone has a choice about what they do and do not allow to happen to their "pets" by keeping them at home and under their control or giving them to someone who can... I feel badly that the dog was killed but the decision ultimately was made by the owner who did not do the right thing and allowed their dog to roam and kill.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Dogs are being raised like the USA raises it's children. They just let it loose and expect the world to train their dog and raise their kids to be good, worthy entities.

Sometimes it is a shame that a dog does not have the same rights as a human child. I would expect alot of funerals otherwise.

My dog is trained and if I can not train one or I find it too stupid it goes back to the people who sold it to me.

I would expect my dog to be shot on the spot if it killed someones livestock.

Why are people OK with turning their dogs loose to roam and cause problems ? They do not have the time to train and interact with the animal. Just what is it that they expect the outcome to be ??

What a shame a nice animal has to be killed becuase the owner just does not want to deal with it.

You all know how I feel about loose dogs that kill my livestock. They do not last a long time here.

 

[yotetrapper]

Quote:
Not here it's not.

 

[BAYAREABIRDER]

To the poster;


I give all my complements hands down for your hard choice of shooting the dog. I just recently lost a hen to our lab next door. We live rural to semi rural as well. Tnakfully, we have a chain link fence against us and him!