Roaming Dogs coming in and killing yesterday

[pntdhorses]

So, one of my biggest fears came true yesterday. Two dogs that almost looked coyote like but had collars on came through and attacked my two guineas. Luckily it was raining so none of my chickens were out free ranging or I’m sure it would have been a slaughter. The guineas were out because they hate being contained and roam the area looking for ticks.

The dogs killed one and badly injured the other. He must have been able to escape to a tree. But he was badly mauled. So far he is okay...I tried my best to treat his wounds and he’s in a quiet place in the house.

So I belong to this “Nextdoor” app that lets you post and converse with all people on it within a 4 mile or so radius of your home. I posted a description of the dogs and asked if anyone might have seen them or know the owner. I said that I will shoot them if they come back on my property looking to kill more of my animals.

OMG....you would have thought I threatened to kill someone’s child. Everybody was up in arms saying I was hateful, that it was a misdemeanor to kill someone’s beloved pets. I had one lady go so far as to tell me that I was a bad “mom” and shouldn’t be allowed to have animals.

Trying to explain that I had every right to protect my property and my animals completely fell on deaf ears. And I do have every right. Kansas State Law states:
47-646. Killing dog lawful, when.
It shall be lawful for any person at any time to kill any dog which may be found injuring or attempting to injure any livestock as defined in K.S.A. 47-1001, and amendments thereto.

These people obviously have never lived on a farm or ranch. And of course, I don’t want to shoot dogs but if they come back to kill again, they are officially a predator just like a coyote.

Am I wrong here? Their attitudes just make my blood boil.

 

[sylviethecochin]

You're on a chicken site. I'd say 80+% of us agree with you, and some of us would put down our own dogs if they were hurting livestock or pets. I'm among the latter group.

 

[bobbi-j]

You don't just kill a dog because it is killing your animals. That is SO unfair. The dog does not know any better, its a dog. The chickens should stay in there run if the OP wants them to live! If its to small, make it bigger. The owner of the dog probably loves it! How horrible that would be to kill a beloved pet!! Thats why.

No, not that. To shoot the dogs! and !!!!!

I’m guessing that you are either young and don’t understand the full responsibility of pet ownership or don’t live in and understand a rural setting/lifestyle. Maybe both. Whichever - let me explain it to you as best I can:
Your dog on your property is your beloved pet. No one would dispute that. But the minute your dog leaves your property and enters mine, killing or injuring my livestock it becomes a predator and where I live, I am well within my legal right to kill that predator.

It’s not “just a few chickens” to many people. They may be rare, valuable breeds. They may also be beloved pets. They may be a family’s source of food for the year.

Sure, keeping them in a run protects them somewhat, but there are cases of large, strong dogs tearing into runs and wiping out a flock. A run doesn’t keep a dog from running around it causing the chickens to panic and kills them selves. A dog will kill a whole flock in minutes where many predators will just kill what they can eat.

Now let’s move on to larger livestock. Cows, horses, sheep and goats. Roaming dogs may not kill a full-grown cow or horse, but they can chase them, causing injuries that can result in thousands of dollars in vet fees. They can kill calves, foals, sheep and goats. If I’m planning on selling any stock, your dog may have just cost me a year’s income.

So maybe it’s your dog that needs to be kept in a run for its own safety instead if my chickens who don’t ever leave my property.

 

[Compost King]

You are in the right. Some people have love for dogs to the point of mental illness. Another good way to punish the dog owners is to spray the dogs with skunk spray. Dogs that get sprayed with Skunk Scent stop going loose for some reason.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I live in Panama. It's a death sentence to a dog that kills livestock, EVEN IF that livestock is chickens or guineas. Once a dog gets a taste of the kill, they'll not stop, and folks around these parts know it and deal with it appropriately. And for those whining about misdemeanor to kill THEIR pet dog... what about YOUR PET GUINEAS?

 

[Trux]

If you got the law on your side, and it is on the books, no you are not.With that said I would report the transgression to local police and or sheriffs dept, and quote the law to them and get their input. I would go so far as to quote that same law on your nextdoor app thread that you got lambasted on!

Edit: I do have dogs, love them dearly. But as for killing one that was attacking my chickens, I wouldn't hesitate, especially if it was coming from an irresponsible dog owner

 

[MomJones]

Wow, I'd be steaming mad! This is good advice, all the above. Two things about this kind of situation that I've both experienced and watched others go through in various states:
1) Document, document, document. Take notes, take pics, make sure you post a complaint with your local sheriff's office. That way it's on the record. It's not enough just to be in the right, you need to think of possible litigation if you do end up defending your livestock and property. People are crazy these days and everyone wants to sue for every little thing.
2) This is just my experience. But in Arkansas, where I lived for 6 years, the local sheriff of our community told me about their unspoken law there: "Shoot, shovel, shut up". I'm not advocating this explicitly. But we had to do this after a pack of wild dogs showed up and attacked local animals, then our own. We shot the lead dog, buried him immediately, never said a thing. No one came looking in this case because they were feral.

Lastly, when I lived in Idaho one of my dogs--a beautiful Siberian Husky-- attacked and killed a neighbor's turkeys and their pet duck. I put the dog down that day. Took him to the vet, explained the situation, and the vet told me this was the right thing to do because once they've attacked something, they'll continue to look for opportunities to repeat this behavior. We didn't get sued but if we had, I was on record as having responded immediately and taking responsibility. It was hard. But it was the right thing.

 

[AmyJane725]

You don't just kill a dog because it is killing your animals. That is SO unfair. The dog does not know any better, its a dog. The chickens should stay in there run if the OP wants them to live! If its to small, make it bigger. The owner of the dog probably loves it! How horrible that would be to kill a beloved pet!! Thats why.

First off, it wasn't even chickens, it was guinea fowl. Secondly, the OP can do whatever she wants with her birds on her property. She could give them all little unicycles and teach them to juggle chainsaws if she wanted. Point is, those birds are protected on her property. They don't have to stay locked in a run 24/7 for fear of marauding dogs wandering by and deciding it would be fun to murder them.

If she was negligent (like the dog owner in this situation is) and her guineas were in the street out in front of her property or miles down the road and they got killed by a dog, cat, motorist or otherwise, it's obviously her fault for not keeping them on her property where they are safe/protected, just the way it's the dog owner's fault for letting the dog run wild off of their property where it's not protected.

And like bobbi-j said, once that dog trespasses on someone elses property and starts killing their beloved pets/food/source of income it's a predator that needs to be taken care of. If those dogs had just wandered onto her property peacefully and not done mortal harm to her pets I'm sure she wouldn't even consider killing the dogs, but they're not sweet little pets, they're killers.

If you'd really just stand by and let a dog murder your birds because it "doesn't know any better" then I don't think you should have birds. Our birds are completely dependent on us for their well-being and protection, and if you're not willing to kill an animal that's actively ripping them apart you have no business keeping birds. They're relying on you and you're letting them down in the biggest possible way.

Would you not kill a raccoon or a fox either because they're just trying to feed themselves and they don't know any better? (I honestly feel worse for the wild animals because they don't have anyone to protect them from the natural consequences of their instincts). If the owners of those dogs love them so much, maybe they should keep a closer eye on them/not let them off their property where anything could happen to them.

 

[Peppercorngal]

You are absolutely right and did all the right things. Letting the neighborhood know that you can and will take action was very smart and may insure that those dogs do not come back. And if they do come back you have every right to shoot them. My dog wandered and got shot. The vet said he wouldn't live, but he did. I love him but he got what he got for roaming on other's property, I am not mad at the land owner. Don't let small minded people ruin your day any more than their dogs have ruined your guineas!! Sorry for your loss.

 

[ocap]

i shot a neighbor's dog, not a pleasant memory.
Try everything else first.