What is reasonable to ask? (neighbor’s dog)

[Brooks_]

As others have said, the only reasonable ask is cost of chickens and damage to existing run/coop. The neighbor containing the dog is a reasonable expectation.

 

[TaylorGlade]

Sadly, our neighbor adopted a dog and after it killed her chickens, got out and killed a feral chicken on our property, she allowed it to get out again, and it broke into our run and killed nearly all our chickens. These were beloved pets. My teenager in particular was completely devastated. YOU all get it.

The neighbor was so apologetic and wanting to help until I asked for money. I asked not for money for the hens but rather for the new enclosure I felt I needed in order to protect against this dog, which lives like thirty feet from our yard. To me this was the greatest urgency because two hens survived (eight were killed, and one rooster). I needed to keep them safe.

She told me what I was asking was too much and that I should have checked with her first to see what she could afford. I literally bought the smallest walk-in dog kennel I could find. It was $700, all done. I can only assume she looked at some of those $100 plywood specials online and assumed I was being ridiculous and trying to fleece her. But something like that would have been worse than what we had, which worked fine…until she got that dog and failed to be a responsible dog owner.

Anyway, I now see the thing I should have asked for was the value of the hens, which didn’t even occur to me because sure we love the eggs but primarily they were pets and not really replaceable. Laying hens here go for $50 each (I’m in Hawaii). So…she owes $400? The one rooster Pi was a beloved pet too, nothing for him?

This just doesn’t sit well with me. For her to be out such a relatively small amount considering the huge impact this had financially and otherwise. In Hawaii, $400 doesn’t even cover a very basic trip to Costco.

To build back up we were very fortunate to have had remaining fertile eggs from my daughter’s most beloved hen, Gigi, to incubate and build the flock back up. Having the babies gives her a feeling of connection to her Gigi, more importantly.

ANYWAY, my question. Given the situation, do you think I have a chance of being awarded something for the cost of the enclosure in addition to the chickens? I just am so upset by this whole thing and can’t believe how easily the neighbor is getting off! She’s refusing to even discuss it now. I can take her to small claims, I just want to be clearer first.

Thank you for any input! Pic of my daughter with Gigi.

If she won't discuss it, Small claims court and let the judge sort it out. Apologies are nice and all, but you are the one left trying to raise more biddies to egg laying age. That takes quite a bit of time. Come up with any receipts and estimates on cost for the months of time. Also, ask the judge to order that the woman either rehome the dog to a more responsible owner or pay for obedience lessons. The dog is out of control. And if it's killing other animals, it could turn on a human next.

 

[fuzzi]

Also, ask the judge to order that the woman either rehome the dog to a more responsible owner or pay for obedience lessons. The dog is out of control. And if it's killing other animals, it could turn on a human next.

This

 

[The Moonshiner]

I doubt obedience lessons will do much to curve that kind of prey drive.
How about she contains her dog or gets fines? Or gets a dead dog deposited on her porch.

 

[Coops Dad]

Our neighbor had a dog which came over four separate times and killed a total of 24 chickens. The owner balked on paying for the dead hens until I made it crystal clear that the dog would be shot dead the next time. Period. He was angry that I threatened to kill his dog until I reminded him that I'd buried two dozen birds, most of which were killed in front of my wife. He paid and put an invisible fence up to keep his dog home.

I live in Texas; any dog harassing pets, people or livestock on your property can be dispatched immediately with no warning to the dog owner. Also, the owner has to retrieve the body.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Our neighbor had a dog which came over four separate times and killed a total of 24 chickens. The owner balked on paying for the dead hens until I made it crystal clear that the dog would be shot dead the next time. Period. He was angry that I threatened to kill his dog until I reminded him that I'd buried two dozen birds, most of which were killed in front of my wife. He paid and put an invisible fence up to keep his dog home.

I live in Texas; any dog harassing pets, people or livestock on your property can be dispatched immediately with no warning to the dog owner. Also, the owner has to retrieve the body.

This is good news for me. My neighbors dog has been chewing through the fence to get at my birds. They got loose once and charged me while putting my kids in the car. Next encounter will be a dirt nap now that I know I’ll be covered because I live in TX.

 

[Coops Dad]

And the news gets even better! Texas is now a constitutional carry state, meaning you can carry your concealed firearm without a permit. If you can legally own it, you can legally carry it.

 

[fuzzi]

Our neighbor had a dog which came over four separate times and killed a total of 24 chickens. The owner balked on paying for the dead hens until I made it crystal clear that the dog would be shot dead the next time. Period. He was angry that I threatened to kill his dog until I reminded him that I'd buried two dozen birds, most of which were killed in front of my wife. He paid and put an invisible fence up to keep his dog home.

I live in Texas; any dog harassing pets, people or livestock on your property can be dispatched immediately with no warning to the dog owner. Also, the owner has to retrieve the body.

What if the next time the dog mauled a child?

People don't think.

 

[Coops Dad]

What if the next time the dog mauled a child?

People don't think.

Dogs kill chickens; if we killed every dog that killed a chicken out of fear that it might maul a kid, my own dog would've been put down. I trust my dog with people but even when she looks like she's ignoring the chickens, I know she's thinking about them.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Trap the dog and remove it