I am pretty tired of stray dogs (and the neighbors dogs) in the neighborhood being in my yard, i live in a fairly rural area on an acre and it's a common issue out here but prior to having birds I didn't really care. I'm not going to kill a dog over getting in my trash but getting in my coop is a different story. So, has anybody set traps up around their coop? I have warned my neighbors politely and told them I had traps down by my coop but I haven't actually set any up, it was my hope that by warning them they would lock their dogs down better which hasn't happened. I respect all live so I would really rather the neighbors just care for their animals in a responsible way but since that isn't happening I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to shoot and kill a dog just for being in my yard but I don't want to wait for it to kill chickens either. So frustrating! I was thinking brightly painted traps may be the answer but then what do I do with a dog that has it's leg broke in a trap? I feel like that isn't really my responsibility to address after letting it out but at the same time my goal is to keep my animals safe not be cruel sooooo.
I think leg traps would be considered cruelty. Better to trap with a havahart trap or to SSS. Once you catch a dog you have the option of returning to a neighbor with a lecture,or calling AC. Either way you will be wasting your time,because it is obvious you talked BEFORE to neighbors and they did not care.AC or SSS. If you do leg traps you need to SSS quickly. Injuring an animal is considered cruel,but killing it quickly due to flock harm is accepted in most areas.
If they don't lock up or chain their dogs then they don't mind them being killed in my opinion. While back in the day I would have set traps and sent the dogs on their way to heaven, NOW I would probably set up something so that you can trap them live and them take them to the pound. I would NEVER worry about returning them to their owner if they are our running around.
If you are lucky AC will charge owners to get the dogs out,but you will probably be creating a NFH situation. So they might keep the dogs at home after fines,but annoy you in other ways.
good fences make good neighbors...Of course, that is an expensive option, but would likely solve your problems in a humane way.
Quote:You have never done any trapping then. Foot hold traps do not break legs. The dogs could be released without harm. They even make them with rubberized jaws to make them more human to the animal: http://www.fntpost.com/Products/Duke+Coil+Spring+Traps/+1+1+2+Duke+Coil+Spring+Trap+(Rubber+Jaw)
Quote:You have never done any trapping then. Foot hold traps do not break legs. The dogs could be released without harm. They even make them with rubberized jaws to make them more human to the animal: http://www.fntpost.com/Products/Duke+Coil+Spring+Traps/+1+1+2+Duke+Coil+Spring+Trap+(Rubber+Jaw) just taking a file and rounding over the sharp edge of the bottom jaw will keep the foot from being cut adding a swivel midlenth of the chain helps too, most of the fox, coyote,bobcat I catch , you cannot tell they were in a foot hold trap
You are kind of in a catch 22 ...if you kill neighbor's dogs, then you have angry neighbors who may try to retaliate. Better to protect chickens..put up electric fence around chicken yard that will shock the heck out of trespassing dogs or any other varmint!
I had an issue with our neighbors cat. I asked the owner to keep his cat on his property. I told me that his cat tried to get into my coop; uses my garden as a bathroom, and takes naps on my cars. I told him I didn't want "replacement" chickens nor to repaint vehicles. So, for one week they kept their cat locked up, I didn't say another word and bought a trap. I trapped their cat on the second week; paid the $25.00 pound fee, and provided them with a large bag of cat food. I hope the cat found a "better" home! Pets don't need to be hurt because they have sorry owners. My job is to protect my wife, yorkie pack, and my flock. This happened four months ago and my neighbor never asked about their cat...wish I got trap him and send him away. I'm older and after 20 years in the Army...live and let live, just take them away!!
I had a talk with the neighbor, he was pretty cool to deal with, he told me his dog never got out and was never in my yard. I responded by saying "then you don't mind if I kill the dog that looks exactly like yours that is coming in my yard?" He said "nope not at all" so problem solved on this end. The other neighbor works 20+ days a month away from home and decided getting some puppies would be a wise idea. They have been in my yard once, I called him and within 15 minutes three family members were there to take care of them, I at least call that responsible, we'll see how they go about preventing it from happening again. Either way, I have the CB .22 rounds and gun sitting above the door so from here on out one of two things is going to happen, the dogs get shot and driven out into the desert or I catch them and drop them off on the other side of town. If there wasn't such a difference in sizes I would set a conibear trap and be done with them as I have neighbors closer than I'm comfortable with for shooting a gun.
