Opinions on free-ranging one's chickens, and attempts at kindness

[Terry Allan Hall]

What's odd is that the "witness" (on the summons) seems to be an officer of the law...if so, why wasn't I simply arrested at the scene of the (alleged) crime?

Lots I don't know, apparently!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Finally got through to someone "in the know"...I'm going down Monday morning and see if this can get straightened out...worst case scenario, the fine is $117...that's not as expensive as I thought it would be...

Still, it really annoys me to be in this ridiculous position in the 1st place!

 

[redoak]

We've taken the neighbors dogs home when no one is around and have left them in their yards. We aren't always 100 percent sure it's one of their dogs but it's usually in their yard, guess we are as "guilty" as you are of animal abandonment. Good Luck

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I would print out a piece of paper to be signed by those you asked if they owned it. Just so you have other people stating that you indeed were looking for the bird's owner(meaning the bird obviously wasn't yours). I'm sure that they would sign this paper, if you explain what happened with the whole 'court summon' and stuff. Explain that you captured the bird to remove from your property for bio-security reasons(you didn't want feral roo getting your birds sick) and that you didn't know who else to call about it.

Best of luck, be sure to let us know the outcome! Sorry about all this, it is truly silly.

-Kim

 

[Dace]

I would find that rooster, pack him up in the dog carrier and take him to court with oyu...and leave him for them do deal with!

 

[kaylakala]

Quote:
Now that would be interesting.

I hope things work ou for you.

 

[digitS']

I have a friend with lots of birds. The wild pheasants are constantly showing up outside his pens. It shouldn't surprise any of us that where chickens are allowed to run free, roosters would come visiting.

Quote:
Quote:
Those look to me to be your 3 very good defenses:

* Photo of your own penned birds
* Signed statement verifying your own operation, and
* Signed statement verifying that you were looking for the owner

We have animal control outside city limits. It probably would have been wise to have your inquiry on a phone log at the local shelter even if your area isn't served.

Here's wishing you the very best of luck and don't pay a $100 fine without raising considerable dust !! The next time there's some miserable critter wandering around your neighborhood - you may be blamed again !

Steve

 

[sundance]

I'm sorry that you got into trouble for being a nice person.We live in CannonCo. Tennessee, and we have NO ANIMAL CONTROL OF ANY KIND. we live wayyyyyyyyyyyback on a dead end dirt road Only 2 houses any where round except family, and people are always dropping off animals near our house. That's the way i got my last 2 cats, so i take them down, for spaying and shots, then the neighbors over the top of the mountain turn their dogs loose at night and I lose my cats. Now our neighboring counties won't even take an animal from cannon co.Next time astray chicken comes visiting just sss.

marrie

 

[mangled]

What a ridiculous charge.

See, there's been things happen around our parts that haven't *actually* been witnessed by an officer, but the officer mayhaps knows the individual reporting the alleged crime, and puts on the summons that the officer actually witnessed it.

I would demand the report, ask where the officer was when he supposedly witnessed this dumping, ask why you weren't approached at the time of the offense, and ask the officer exactly where the rooster was dropped, what the rooster looked like, what you were wearing, etc., etc.

Sure sounds fishy to me. If I was a cop and I saw someone commiting a crime, I certainly wouldn't mosey on back to the patrol car and pen out a summons.

Good luck - see my siggy line, I live by these words.

Em

 

[sweetshoplady]

That's really silly that that happened. Definitely follow the advice about the signed statements, and pictures of your flock.

Do you have a roo in your flock? Or just ladies? If you do have a roo, that'd be another reason not to want him there.