One less dog in the neighborhood!

[RagTyme]

I feel you did the right thing, I know it was hard to do. I would have done the same thing.

I am a dog lover, I show and breed Boxers. I live way in the sticks and all around me are Beefmaster farms, I KNOW that if my dogs were to get out and into a cattle pasture they would be shot on the spot. Therefore, I make darn sure there is no chance my dogs can get off their property.

Livestock is the livelyhood of many out here, therefore wayward dogs are often "taken care of" before they cause losses of income. That is the way things are out here and most everyone here accepts it.

Shooting a dog that is killing your livestock is no different that shooting a coyote doing the same, a responsible owner would have made double sure the dog was secure to begin with. We get dogs dumped out here all the time, if it is friendly and not killing or injuring my chickens or goats then I will take it to the pound. If it is or has killed or injured any livestock it gets shot because the pound would just put a livestock killer to sleep anyway

 

[TexasVet]

Quote:
Here in Texas the owner of the killed/attacked livestock also has the right to follow the animal back to its home and shoot it there.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[blueoval1]

Oh yeah I understand, I usually do not think this way on situations like these and I usually stay quiet I dont know what has gotten in to me tonight, I am sorry if I offended anyone in anyway,

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
I dont think a responsible rescue would adopt a "friendly"dog out that is known to have killed other animals before.
" Sure the dog is goo with kids, it only kills chickens out of the blue" ONCE A KILLER ALWAYS A KILLER

I have to agree with you. I've had my little Bichon escape from the house and chase the chickens, but only for the fun of chasing, not to kill.

But - and this is for everyone- UNLESS a dog is raised as a puppy around whatever livestock you have, IT CANNOT BE TRAINED to sit lazily around them or guard them. Keep this in mind people... dogs have minds of their owns and it is a one-track mind, IMO.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I dont think a responsible rescue would adopt a "friendly"dog out that is known to have killed other animals before.
" Sure the dog is goo with kids, it only kills chickens out of the blue" ONCE A KILLER ALWAYS A KILLER

Conny..thats not true at all!!... my dog went after my birds...its her instinct...its a dogs natural instinct! and i never trained her to NOT chase birds..its NOT the dogs fault..its MINE! but shes the most people friendly dog! she would pass all their temperment tests with no problem!(or i could not have her!) just cause a dog went after birds dosent make it un-adoptable. it just means you shouldnt have chickens if you adopt that dog....just like they tell you ...this dog isnt good with cats...etc. they warn you about those things before adoption.

 

[greathorse]

The OP was left in a very bad place. An owner that was not willing to control the dog and was not strong einough to do what was necessary in the long run. I take absolutely no pleasure in shooting animals of any kind. I live in a quite rural situation and most of the time my birds are well protected. I think I should have the right to let them out from time to time without being killed.

I have had a neighbor dog or two come around and I have yelled and shot in the air and for me I have not seen the dogs again. If I saw the same dog and it was anywhere close to my chickens I am afraid I would be left with no choice.

I dont think it makes anyone a hero nor does it make one a villain. It is sometimes a fact of rural life. When I grew up dogs that killed livestock were destroyed and it did not matter if it was your own or belonged to someone else.

I do beleive that dogs that are brought up in a responsible ag environment have a decent chance of understanding what it means to be around livestock. Dogs that just happen to be in a rural setting with no guidance regarding livestock are almost certain to kill small flighty animals.

I did not get the impression OP was being jubilant about the act, but took the very unfortunate matter in her own hands and did about the only thing that could be done.

I suppose OP could have spent several hundred or thousand dollars building fence, rehabilitating the dog, hiring trainers and on and on. But in fact had no responsibilty to do any of that

Sorry for the long post.

 

[broomgal]

Someone mentioned that you can tell who is from the city and who is from the country based on replies- seems so true reading this thread!

I grew up in the city, then moved to the country when I was 10 but I was a transplant and basically a city girl living on a farm. So it would go against my grain to think of shooting the dog being described because I wasn't raised that way but I remember my farm friends shooting our family dog for chasing the cows. I just couldn't understand as a 10 year old but now I do. They did what they needed to do and my mom after 30 years just said to me she had been really irresponsible with that dog.

I really hope I never have to do something like that- it would be really be hard for me. I would chicken out and take it to the pound

 

[TexasVet]

" Just cause a dog went after birds dosent make it un-adoptable. it just means you shouldnt have chickens if you adopt that dog....just like they tell you ...this dog isnt good with cats...etc. they warn you about those things before adoption."

I think that's true. But if the shelter only has one opening, and multiple dogs are brought in, which one will they accept for the adoption program... the dog with a history of killing chickens or one without?

I also think it's true that many, many more dogs and cats are euthanized than are adopted because too many people don't spay or neuter their pets.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[lurky]

If the birds are so important that they are worth killing a little girls pet dog, why not protect the birds by putting up a fence? It would be better justified if the dog was getting in to a protected yard. I think each case has its own circumstances, but if this dog was friendly enough to follow you out and let you shoot it..........you obviously could have handled it more responsibly.

 

[TexasVet]

What say we call it a night, folks, and agree that there are no winners in this situation. I lost nearly 20 chickens and ended up having to shoot a people-friendly dog; a teen lost her pet; the dog lost it's life; the irresponsible owner had to deal with her kid and a disgruntled neighbor. All for want of a good leash.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com