The dog owner called me... WWYD?

[silkhope]

My other neighbor did some digging around and found out who owned the dogs that killed my entire flock this past week. They live right up the street but I've never met them. My neighbor obviously made her feel like total crap...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7715

and then here...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8204

So she calls me last night. Very apologetic, felt horrible, the dogs had been getting out of their kennel, she had no clue they would do such a thing, she promised they would never, EVER get out again, blah blah blah. I think she was prepared for a serious lashing, but I'm not that type of person. I did tell her that I was very angry and upset that my PETS were killed this way and that if the dogs showed up in my yard again we had every right to shoot them, and would, for the sake of our child and other animals. To cause that much damage to get to a live animal to kill it is considered a DANGEROUS DOG, no matter how much she trusted them. She understood.

She wasn't aware that they also killed my other neighbor's. She said that when I was ready to replace them she would cover the cost.

Our coop will have to be repaired, our dog pen is useless at this point (not that we use it, but still)... Some people feel I should still report them to animal control. Just covering replacements doesn't seem like enough??

What would you do?

Thanks!
Ashley

 

[peacebird]

Definitely report this to animal control. There needs to be an official record of the destruction they caused in the event they do get out again and harm another animal (or child).

She is behaving reasonably but still her animals need to be reported. After the death and destruction they caused it is obvious they are dangerous creatures.

 

[Zenbirder]

I would report them. Then at a minimum there is an official record, just in case you ever did have to shoot one of the dogs. Just my opinion.

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

I agree with Peacebird and Zenbirder. I would not do it to be mean per say but to let them know in case there is a problem again.

Always cover your own butt. You never can tell with some people.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

I personally would let it go. Bill her for whatever needs replacing.

She doesn't sound like some horrid human being. And I completely disagree with other people on this point: just because a dog has high prey drive does NOT mean they are a danger to people or children.

She made a huge mistake, but I could see it happening to lots of dog owners. When we first moved here, somehow my dog got out on 2 seperate occasions. dh and I still have never figured out how he did it. Granted, he didn't hurt anyone. Thankfully that stopped. And the summer my son was 3yo, he let the dogs out on numerous occasions. I had locked the door.. made no difference. My dogs do stay in the yard for the most part, but will go 'greet' people walking by. Just to prevent incidents, my dogs are tied when they do go out normally, but try explaining that to a three year old (he repeatedly got the 'we don't want them to get hit by a car' speech).

Anyway, my point is that it sounds like a horrible, tragic, awful accident, and she is accepting complete responsibility for it. That doesn't bring your birds back, but I think it should all stop here. JMHO.

-Meghan

 

[crazy4daisy]

That makes me so mad.

Yup, I can't let my chickens out of their run without me being out there because my neighbor down the road about 1/2 a mile has, like 6 dogs that she lets roam. They've come and got into our trashcans, etc. before. GRRRRR!!!!! un

 

[Freebie]

I try to stay away from these "dog got my chickens" post, but just last week, my daughters dog got out of our fence and ran down to the barn and attacked my chickens. Lucky, the alpha hen, fought back and was hurt pretty bad.

I knew he had been getting out, but we thought we had fixed that problem. Then he started getting out again, and we kind of let it go for a few days, and wham an attack. That was completely our fault. I let my birds free range, so I take risks everyday with them, and have been very lucky. The dog incident could have been avoided, had I done something earlier.

I don't fault the dog, as dogs will do things like that. It is my job to keep them separate. Now had it been a neighbors dog... I would call animal control if the dogs are running loose, and I would want them to pay for damages to the coop and replacement birds. I don't know what animal control can do unless the animals are running loose. I would not necessarily call them dangerous dogs, as all dogs could be considered dangerous in the right, or wrong situation, and no mention has been made of them being agressive to people. And that makes a great deal of difference.

I just really hate dogs being punished for their owners not being responsible.

 

[livestock101]

Last year I had a problem with the neighbors dogs who ended up killing some of our ducks. I did report them to the animal control (police department here in our town) and the man was fined for having vicious dogs at large. We will shoot the dogs next time I find them on my property.

Take her up on her offer to pay to replace your flock. She owes you that much, at the very least.

 

[Judymae]

We had this same problem but with goats not chickens. Our neighbor from the end of the street had 2 huskies that got into our pen with our goats. Our potbelly pig was in with the goats and we woke to her screaming. My husband went running outside, in his undies, with his gun. He tried shooting the dogs when he first got out there but the two dogs had ahold of my pig and with all the comotion he couldn't get a clear shot. My screaming caused the dogs to let go and run into some brush. My husband missed with his shots. We went to survey the damage and found a missing baby goat on the outside of the pen. She was shredded! I stomped my butt down to the neighbors house right then. In my pjs. I'm sure they thought I was crazy. I told the woman what happened and she got her purse gave me $100 and loaded her dogs up right then and took them to the pound and had them put them to sleep. I respect this woman for doing the right thing in the end, but I would've rather had my goat than the money. If she had confined her dogs to begin with I would still have that goat. People need to take responsibility for their animals and make sure they are properly fenced. Why have a dog your gonna allow to run.

The woman in your case had to know her dogs were missing. They didn't escape their pen go straight to your house and kill your pets and go straight home back into their pen. You had your pets confined on your property because you are a responsible pet owner. She should be a responsible pet owner and do they same. Now she KNOWS they are getting out so she should go to the end of the world to find a way to keep her dogs confined. If she can't keep them confined she should rehome them. Replacing your pets isn't enough to me. You put in $ and time to get your pets to the point where you had them. She can't replace that. Sorry to be so picky about this--I just know where you are coming from.

 

[cookinmom]

I agree with Q of the L. I would definitely bill for everything that needs to be replaced, not just for another batch of chicks. It sounds as if she's repentant, and you've told her what will happen should her dog come visiting again. Sounds like she's reasonable, and I know too how hard it is to keep a dog contained. We had one when I was young that had to be tied to a tree, in our fenced yard because if he was loose, he'd either go under, over, or through any gap he could find, to get out of that yard. Sometimes they just get loose, just like sometimes varmints get in the chicken coop, no matter what you do.