When chickens are terrorized, or even frightened, they may stop the egg laying process. The hen delays laying her egg until it is safe. Hens can be so terrorized that she stops laying. This results in an egg remaining inside and can be fatal. Also, if the dog manged to injure the bird, but you can't see it, an egg could have broken inside her and that would be death for her too.
We have had similar problems. The neighbors all let their dogs run loose in the area. I've called the police at least twenty times over this. One particular neighbor's dog killed ducks, geese, cats, and our baby goats. Not just my livestock, but also other small farmers in the area as well. No amount of discussion put a stop to them allowing their dogs off their property. Their attitude was that "dogs should be dogs".
Finally, another neighbor got so frustrated with lost livestock that she captured the dog when it was on her property and took it to some other town and adopted it out. The other big offender threatened me with violence on two incidents after his dogs were picked up by animal control. On the second incident he was enraged and nearly broke down my front door trying to get in to kill me. The police came and arrested him.
That was the turning point in our area about law enforcement beginning to enforce laws.
Keep in mind you have every right to shoot any dog on your rural property even if it is not attacking anything. Why? Because a dog is a dog is a dog. The law in most places recognizes it is better to prevent loss of livestock then to try to fix it later.
People used to claim I didn't want their dogs on my property because I hate dogs. Really? I have three of them. That usually puts a stop to that.
One thing is for sure, you will quickly lose friends if you insist they abide by your no dog rules. The friends who remain are true good friends.
We have had similar problems. The neighbors all let their dogs run loose in the area. I've called the police at least twenty times over this. One particular neighbor's dog killed ducks, geese, cats, and our baby goats. Not just my livestock, but also other small farmers in the area as well. No amount of discussion put a stop to them allowing their dogs off their property. Their attitude was that "dogs should be dogs".
Finally, another neighbor got so frustrated with lost livestock that she captured the dog when it was on her property and took it to some other town and adopted it out. The other big offender threatened me with violence on two incidents after his dogs were picked up by animal control. On the second incident he was enraged and nearly broke down my front door trying to get in to kill me. The police came and arrested him.
That was the turning point in our area about law enforcement beginning to enforce laws.
Keep in mind you have every right to shoot any dog on your rural property even if it is not attacking anything. Why? Because a dog is a dog is a dog. The law in most places recognizes it is better to prevent loss of livestock then to try to fix it later.
People used to claim I didn't want their dogs on my property because I hate dogs. Really? I have three of them. That usually puts a stop to that.
One thing is for sure, you will quickly lose friends if you insist they abide by your no dog rules. The friends who remain are true good friends.
