What can I legally do with preditors in town?

[enola]

I wouldn't be so sure a cat wasn't the culprit the first night you quail were outside.

I know for a fact that I had a cat reaching into one of my cages trying to 'snag' some of my game cockerels earlier this spring. When he finally gave up on the younger chickens, he turned to and killed two laying hens before I caught him.

I guess I am harder hearted than some, but I am really sick of other people's 'pets' killing my livestock.

 

[tinkatwerp]

I'm kind of a jerk when it comes to cats. I've killed quite a few via rifle, but that was on a ranch. I am entirely concerned with legality. If I kill someone's pet I want to know I'm on the correct side of the law. However; I'm a bit concerned about bringing quail issues to the attention of the city, because the whole reason I'm able to keep them is I am operating in a loophole. All poultry and fowl are banned within city limits, however gamebirds are not banned. Wyoming considers quail wildlife, so I am able to keep them under a wildlife possession permit. I really rather not bring this to the attention of animal control because I'm worried that any issues may result in a new city ordinance banning game birds too. I'm wondering if me complaining to animal control with jeopardize me keeping quail in any way.

 

[enola]

I only trap the ones in my hen house. They are the ones causing trouble. I don't even keep the trap set all of the time. Only after they have done something disasterous.

I am still hoping a cat that likes to eat mice will wander in a take up residence!

Good luck with staying under the radar.

 

[6of6chicks]

Just chiming in since this hasn't been mentioned - an alternative to animal control is an animal removal specialist. I have no idea if they would take cats or not, but they will take the non-pet predators. I called one once when I had a problem with armadillos digging up my yard. The traps caught a raccoon instead, but they came out anyway and hauled it off. It was a young male and he was vicious. At the time I didn't own a gun and there was no way I wanted to get near the cage. I don't remember what I paid them, and I didn't ask what they did with the raccoon. But it was an option when animal control wouldn't take it.

If it is a cat I'd try animal control first - only because there's a chance it might be chipped and actually be a lost pet. Someone might be grateful to get it back (think how much you love your chickens). If animal control or rescue groups won't take it, then you basically have two choices: adopt it or dispose of it. To each his own in that regard.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bagging other people's pets is not acceptable to me. Removing an animal that is actively attacking you, your family, or your property is not bagging someone's pet. That's taking care of a predator problem. Laws vary in different jurisdictions so it's really good to know what the laws are, whether you are a dog or cat owner or an chicken owner.

As a chicken owner, you have a responsibility to protect your animals from threats. As a dog or cat owner you have a responsibility to control your animals.

I have shot dogs that were killing my chickens. I have a legal right to do that. I have found dogs abandoned out here in the country and taken them to the pound before they got into trouble. I do not shoot a dog just because it wanders onto my property but when it is causing damage by killing chickens I will. I own two dogs. I control them. They do not leave my property. I try to be a responsible animal owner, both in controlling mine and protecting mine.

Others on here will have other opinions and take different actions. I can't control any of that, I can only control myself.

 

[davebauer]

Bagging other people's pets is not acceptable to me. Removing an animal that is actively attacking you, your family, or your property is not bagging someone's pet. That's taking care of a predator problem. Laws vary in different jurisdictions so it's really good to know what the laws are, whether you are a dog or cat owner or an chicken owner.

As a chicken owner, you have a responsibility to protect your animals from threats. As a dog or cat owner you have a responsibility to control your animals.

I have shot dogs that were killing my chickens. I have a legal right to do that. I have found dogs abandoned out here in the country and taken them to the pound before they got into trouble. I do not shoot a dog just because it wanders onto my property but when it is causing damage by killing chickens I will. I own two dogs. I control them. They do not leave my property. I try to be a responsible animal owner, both in controlling mine and protecting mine.

Others on here will have other opinions and take different actions. I can't control any of that, I can only control myself.

That's fair. I get that. Shooting an animal should be the last resort. That's just my two cents. My dogs always stayed on my property until deer set up shop in the field behind our house. Then they bolted one day out of the blue. They were found in someones coop. The people went out and got my dogs out of there. Luckily they didn't kill anything, they just chased. But my take is that my dogs acted out of the ordinary. They're an animal. If the people that found my dogs had shot first, my dogs would be gone. If someone's dog was on my property, I'd chase them off and then rectify the problem. If an irresponsible owner chooses to let their dogs venture on my property after we've had a chat, then yeah, go for it. Put a pellet in that dog's arse. But I think killing someone's pet without a thought because you're "protecting your property" is a little over the top.

 

[6of6chicks]

That's fair. I get that. Shooting an animal should be the last resort. That's just my two cents. My dogs always stayed on my property until deer set up shop in the field behind our house. Then they bolted one day out of the blue. They were found in someones coop. The people went out and got my dogs out of there. Luckily they didn't kill anything, they just chased. But my take is that my dogs acted out of the ordinary. They're an animal. If the people that found my dogs had shot first, my dogs would be gone. If someone's dog was on my property, I'd chase them off and then rectify the problem. If an irresponsible owner chooses to let their dogs venture on my property after we've had a chat, then yeah, go for it. Put a pellet in that dog's arse. But I think killing someone's pet without a thought because you're "protecting your property" is a little over the top.

Sorry, but I think you're pointing the blame in the wrong direction. Part of being a responsible pet owner is preventing problems before they happen. Your dogs should never have been able to leave your property to begin with, period. Had they been shot by the chicken owner it would have been squarely on your shoulders, not theirs, because you were the one to create that opportunity to begin with. You and your dogs just got lucky.

It isn't out of the ordinary that your dog chased something - that IS normal dog behavior. Just because they haven't before doesn't mean they won't in the future. I love my dogs like children and would be devastated if someone shot them. But if that happened I'd put the blame where it belongs - on my own head and in my own heart - for failing to keep my fur babies safe and secure to begin with.

 

[davebauer]

Sorry, but I think you're pointing the blame in the wrong direction. Part of being a responsible pet owner is preventing problems before they happen. Your dogs should never have been able to leave your property to begin with, period. Had they been shot by the chicken owner it would have been squarely on your shoulders, not theirs, because you were the one to create that opportunity to begin with. You and your dogs just got lucky.

It isn't out of the ordinary that your dog chased something - that IS normal dog behavior. Just because they haven't before doesn't mean they won't in the future. I love my dogs like children and would be devastated if someone shot them. But if that happened I'd put the blame where it belongs - on my own head and in my own heart - for failing to keep my fur babies safe and secure to begin with.

I see what you're saying. I really do. I'm just saying shooting someone's dog is not the first action that should take place. Simple as that. Taking that action as the first measure is trigger happy and irresponsible (Just so you don't think I'm anti-gun - I'm a gun owner and prolific gun rights advocate). I think that is the point I'm trying to get others to see. No matter how many measures you take, animals cannot be relied upon to exercise logic and reason, so doing one's best to remedy a situation by taking the LEAST impactful action first is what demonstrates why we're higher in the food chain than the animals we speak of.

 

[6of6chicks]

I see what you're saying. I really do. I'm just saying shooting someone's dog is not the first action that should take place. Simple as that. Taking that action as the first measure is trigger happy and irresponsible (Just so you don't think I'm anti-gun - I'm a gun owner and prolific gun rights advocate). I think that is the point I'm trying to get others to see. No matter how many measures you take, animals cannot be relied upon to exercise logic and reason, so doing one's best to remedy a situation by taking the LEAST impactful action first is what demonstrates why we're higher in the food chain than the animals we speak of.

I understand too. Believe me - I'm a nutso dog lover.

And I completely agree that shooting shouldn't be the first option. One of my neighbors has a nuisance dog. The neighbor is a sweet, elderly guy who has always been very nice to me. His dog, however, makes me see red. It has destroyed my fence three separate times (twice going under, once going straight through it). I just grit my teeth and fix the fence, which is now like a fortress. My other neighbors have shot at the dog, but I never did. I never called animal control either because I felt bad for the owner and didn't want to start a neighbor war, and I didn't want to punish the dog for a lazy owner. However - that same dog got into HIS coop and slaughtered all his chickens. Now I look at the dog differently. He has gone from an annoyance to a threat, which means shooting is an option if he goes after my girls. But I see it as last resort.

I can't speak for others, but it seems to me that a lot of people's frustration comes from dealing with this same problem over and over. People dump dogs out where I live all the time and I'm then stuck with the problem. Animal control won't take them because I'm outside city limits. Rescue groups are full and don't want them. I don't want the dogs either. The dogs themselves are scared, lost, and begging for any human to save them. Running them off just makes it someone else's problem. And the determined ones - the ones who are starving and see my nice plump girls as a meal worth working for? I can understand why shooting is common, especially if you've been down that road before.

I hate to punish a dog for what is almost always the owner's fault. But which is morally worse - shooting a stray dog that is attacking my chickens, or failing to protect my chickens from an attacking dog? One animal isn't mine and was never my responsibility, whereas the others are became my responsibility the moment I decided to bring them home.

Anyway, that's my soap box

. To each his own.

 

[davebauer]

To each his own.

Exactly. Good points 6of6.

Dave.