Animals killed, reimbursement?

frogmammy · #1 08/31/14, 09:08 PM

I thought I had read here in the past about someone's animals being killed by dogs and they were able to file *something* with some county *somebody or agency* to get some of their lost value back.

I'm sorry, it's been a while and I forget the particulars...could someone please jog my memory?

While my DD and family were at church today, stray dogs broke into the welded bird pens and killed several hundred dollars worth of birds, some just ready to begin breeding...now they have to start all over again

If anyone knows anything they could do to get part of their loss back, please let me know. They really don't have the $$$ to lose.

Mon

big rockpile · #2 08/31/14, 09:23 PM

Ok in Missouri you need proof. Like Picture and take it to the owner and be reimbursed. But if there is no owner your only choice is to kill the Dogs.

I sued neighbor for damages their Dogs did to my Rabbits and Garden. But I also sued couple Guys for shooting my Dogs. Both cases I won.

big rockpile

Wendy · #3 08/31/14, 10:39 PM

Here you can contact the township trustee.

Forcast · #4 09/01/14, 01:16 AM

homeowners insurance? how do you know whos dogs?

wally · #5 09/01/14, 04:30 AM

If they are in fact stray dogs, there is no one to look for to pay for the damage. If you know they belonged to some one I would contact them and explain what happened , a responsible owner would pay for the damage. If a stray or a owner who cant control their dogs the only option is to shoot the dogs to stop future damage. Consider filing a police report and let them handle it and if need be you can use the report in a small claims case or to support a insurance claim.

wogglebug · #6 09/01/14, 05:21 AM

Anything and everything else is going to have to flow from an official report, so get that done first, lodged, and you/they have a record and copy of the official filed report.

Take pictures, copy them, set one copy aside and keep it for your own use.
Call police, make brief verbal report, and get full details of what you have to do to make and act on full official report.
Do it, and make sure you can prove you did it. Check what you've been told. Delays, accidents, and even favors can happen.
Call your insurance, and ask them what to do as well.

Find all records you have that document value of damage done, and time and money invested. Don't forget property damage as well as livestock - broken housing and fencing have a value. So does fear undergone by survivors - that will set them back weeks, and wounds even further, not to mention wounds willl decrease their abilty to breed and to exhibit, if that was ever planned. Copy proofs, set one copy and the originals aside and keep for your own use.

There will be some local form of small-claims court. If you can prove everything, this may well be the mechanism to use.
If you can't prove EVERY thing, you may need legal advice, even if you still use the small-claims process.

Don't forget to follow-up on things. There will be time limits which people will be happy to have you forget.

littlebitfarm · #7 09/01/14, 07:31 AM

Around here, if you don't know the dog owner, it is animal control that pays. some of the dog tax money goes into a fund for this purpose. Here they pay out once a year, if there is money left from whatever else they use it for. They don't pay market value by any means.

It is pennies on the dollar really, but pennies that weren't there before.

Chinkapin · #8 09/01/14, 09:41 AM

Reimbursment would be difficult.
I installed a good quality electric fence around my poultry pen. One wire @ about 4 inches and the other @ 8 inches. I have had no loses in a area that includes numerous predators and dogs.
Remember to wire the top of the pen or hawks will eventually find your chickens.
I have lost hundreds of dollars of poultry to dogs when I turned them out to forage. So now I'm always near when I turn them out. Guineas make good alarms as they will make lots of noise when a predator is in the area.

I understand what it feels like to lose $ and time invested to a dog. They will kill all your poultry just for sport. So take the precautions or you'll lose eventually.

JLMissouri · #9 09/01/14, 09:43 AM

If you know the owners I would talk to them first. If they are responsible they will make sure their dogs don't bother you again and offer to reimburse. Suing someone without talking to them is a good way to make a permanent enemy out of a neighbor, not a good situation.

TnTnTn · #10 09/01/14, 10:47 AM

Sounds like you had your birds protected pretty well but if you can't tie the killers to an owner you are out of luck imo. I wouldn't expect nor want the 'guvmint' to protect me from a loss like that. You just have to protect your property and assets better. The killers WILL be back. 12ga, 22lr, 223 come to mind.

frogmammy · #11 09/01/14, 11:36 AM

They don't know who the dogs belong to, although I'm sure they will be checking around to see if anyone with dogs has moved into the area. Over the years, they've lost enough birds to know what a dog kill looks like. They haven't had a problem with dogs in several years, since they got their Great Pyr. The dog is old now, almost ancient for a Pyr....has to be a good 14-15 years old, and apparently not doing her job any more. They haven't lost birds in a good long while.

I guess the next time the dogs visit, they'll be Knockin' on Heaven's Door.

Mon

slingshot · #12 09/01/14, 12:02 PM

Some good advise so far....

Our farm policy has specific coverages for our animals, at least the expensive ones.

The issue with insurance is every policy has a deductible, so my birds are not worth turning into insurance. We have a $500 deductible so it's mots cost effective to just replace the birds.

Dog owners are liable, but again depending on what's needed for proof or court it may not pay.

The dogs will return if they are local, try to be prepared. Only way to stop them now is lead.

Dstrnad · #13 09/06/14, 05:26 PM

SSS . If you do know whose dogs they are and talk to them. If anything happens to their dog you will be the prime suspect. Around here even if you catch the dog red handed you will have more trouble than you can imagine if you kill someone's family dog. All depends on the local prosecuting attorney and their personal beliefs more than the actual law. Even if you eventually come out on top it will be painful. SSS is the best way.