Sweetest, favorite chicken killed today by dog

[3riverschick]

Check you state dog law. You may be able to legally shoot it. You can here in PA. Also the neighbor may be financially responsible for the creatures his dog killed. Call the dog warden. This could get real expensive for them. That might get their attention. Also, before you make a stink, make sure you are within the law in all your poultry dealings. Don't want the neighbor to have you chickens confiscated. If it is legal for you, put up a sign stating marauding dogs attacking on your property will be shot.
Best,
Karen

 

[shoregirl68]

Is your yard fenced to keep out the dog? That might be a place to start. You've asked the neighbor for two years to keep the dog out, but what are you doing to prevent it from coming in your yard? I'm not saying that the neighbor was in the right. He most certainly wasn't, and you have every right to shoot that dog. But if your yard is unprotected, there will be another dog, or a coyote or fox or some other critter coming into your yard for chicken dinner. Before you follow others' advice and buy a gun to shoot whatever comes into your yard, make sure it's legal to do so where you live. In many places it's illegal to discharge a firearm in a residential area. Another option is law enforcement or animal control. I am sorry for your loss.

Are you joking....i should fence in my yard from neighbors killer dog....I did go as far as to put up deer needing along the property line in may. There is leash law in our county and yes you have the right to shoot trespassing threatening dogs...sorry but I've no patience for neighbors who just don't care. He has trained his dog to be a killer. It kills any atnimal that trespasses on his property and he will have it sit under his Martin house when a squirrel enters until the squirrel comes down for food/water to be killed. It has chased my cats so high in trees in my own yard I have to get a ladder to get them down. One Sunday at 7am it somehow had gotten on my screened in porch and sat barking at my terrified cats it could see thru our windows, this was pre chicken days.

BTW if my chickens stay in my yard, should I have to fence them in...shouldn't the negligent dog owner
be the one responsible for maintaining/suppling fencing his own dog by keeping it on his own property. The dog also concerns me due to its aggressive behavior towards strangers, like my daughter when she is swinging in her own back yard.

Sorry but even if my chickens go on the fringe of his property they are not in anyway a threat to him or his dogs lively-hood.

Seriously dumb dog owner should pay for fencing

Signed
Die hard animal lover...who has pulled over to rescue baby opossums still nursing to their dead mother

**edited by Staff**

 

[nzpouter]

Shoot it.... what posses you to let it happen the second time I'll never understand...

 

[Lacey1988]

I shot two dogs, at two separate times for killing chickens and almost killing a kitten. The cops were called on me the second time though but all they told me was I was in the right.

 

[blucoondawg]

I would shoot the dog then sue the neighbor for cost of any killed chickens or cats/dogs whatever as well as the cost for the round of ammunition I had to use to blow his dog's head off. I agree I shouldn't have to spend 1000's on a fence I find is an eyesore to keep out marauding dogs who aren't wanted on my property to start with.

 

[jak2002003]

Is your yard fenced to keep out the dog? That might be a place to start. You've asked the neighbor for two years to keep the dog out, but what are you doing to prevent it from coming in your yard? I'm not saying that the neighbor was in the right. He most certainly wasn't, and you have every right to shoot that dog. But if your yard is unprotected, there will be another dog, or a coyote or fox or some other critter coming into your yard for chicken dinner. Before you follow others' advice and buy a gun to shoot whatever comes into your yard, make sure it's legal to do so where you live. In many places it's illegal to discharge a firearm in a residential area. Another option is law enforcement or animal control. I am sorry for your loss.

Yes.. this is sound advise.

I am sorry you lost your chickens, but you have to keep them in a safe secure environment. They are prey for so many animals, not just dogs.

You should build them a large secure run attached to the coop. There they will be safe. You can still let them out to free range when you are there to keep an eye on them.

I know its so upsetting to have a chicken killed like that, but its not really to dogs fault... it has not been trained properly. Shooting it will not solve the problem in the long run... they neighbour will get another dog... which might turn out to be worse that this one... or other predators may come along that were scared away by the dog in the first place..

Get the neighbour to pay for new birds.... tell them you have called animal control and next time something happens they will take the dog away.

And build a secure run!

 

[zazouse]

Yes.. this is sound advise.

I am sorry you lost your chickens, but you have to keep them in a safe secure environment. They are prey for so many animals, not just dogs.

You should build them a large secure run attached to the coop. There they will be safe. You can still let them out to free range when you are there to keep an eye on them.

I know its so upsetting to have a chicken killed like that, but its not really to dogs fault... it has not been trained properly. Shooting it will not solve the problem in the long run... they neighbour will get another dog... which might turn out to be worse that this one... or other predators may come along that were scared away by the dog in the first place..

Get the neighbour to pay for new birds.... tell them you have called animal control and next time something happens they will take the dog away.

And build a secure run!

Well said

 

[blucoondawg]

Good plan if you are home 24/7 and constantly armed. What about when you're at work for the day, and a dog (fox, coyote, coon or mink) gets into your coop? Or when you're sleeping at night?

I agree that people "shouldn't have to" pay to put up a fence that they consider an eyesore (although put enough plants around it and it could help) to keep animals out of their yard. But if you're not going to take the measures needed to protect your chickens (and children) then you really shouldn't get to complain when an animal - whether it's the neighbor's dog or some wild critter - gets into your coop and kills your birds or seriously injures your child while she's swinging on her swing set. Personally, I don't have fences around my yard because I don't need them. Neighbors and their dogs are not an issue here. But my chickens do free range, and I did lose some to a predator this summer. You know what? It was MY fault that it happened, and while I'm not happy that it did, I'm not whining about it either because that's the chance I chose to take.

ETA - Not everyone lives in an area where they can shoot stray dogs on their property. It's illegal in most residential areas.

As for it being illegal in most residential areas to shoot attacking dogs, I believe you are giving out false information, discharging of a firearm in the city limits is generally illegal yes, however discharging a firearm to protect ones self, property, neighbors, etc. generally is not, hence the reason for concealed weapons laws and/or castle laws being passed in every state besides Illinois and they will likely be coming soon there. What good is it to have laws making it legal to go armed to protect yourself from criminals, attacking dogs, whatever, if it is illegal to discharge said weapon in town? There are many documented cases of folks shooting animals or people in residential "city limits" areas in self defense and not being prosecuted for discharging a firearm in town. The no shooting in town ordinances are there to stop people from shooting for the sake of shooting, target practice, shooting squirrels and rabbits out of the garden, etc, not to inhibit one's right to self defense.

 

[jonalisa]

First - so sorry for your loss! It's a terrible thing to have to endure, especially at the hands of some idiot who is irresponsible with their pets.
Second, I believe also that you have a right to protect your chickens by whatever means you deem appropriate in each situation. Only you know, then and there, what to do. In the heat of the moment we all do what we think is best. I may not agree with what people do but it is not my place judge.
Third, I agree with bobbij about providing a barrier to protect your chickens. Is it fair? No.The ultimate point here is that no matter whose fault it is, no matter who is morally or legally responsible for the cost/prevention..ultimately your chickens will die if it happens again. So you can argue about what your neighbor should do, but in the end, if you rely on a neighbor who simply is unreliable and don't take those measures upon yourself, you have no control over the lives of your chickens. You can be 100% morally right and still end up with dead chickens. Your chickens can only rely on you, and you can only rely on yourself.
Putting those protective measures in place is the only way to be 100% sure your chickens are safe.

And by the way, while I believe that you should fence the chickens, I am in no way implying that this was your fault. And I really believe no one else thinks that.
Again, good luck and sorry for your loss.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I say swear out a warrant, have Aminal Control pick up the dog & haul the man into small claims court. When the legal system starts getting into his wallet that'll make a believer out of him! I got in trouble before for letting dogs run loose and it made a believer out of me!
With that said, I have no problem shooting a dog. I've shot many but usually the owner just gets another dog and lets it run wild too or starts a feud or some kind of nastiness. It might be the easiest way to solve the problem, but not necessarily the "best."