Free-roaming dogs

I know trhis doesnt sound right .Everyone seems to think "Free Range" is long gone and went out with the invention of barbed wire BUT if you look very carefully at the laws in most states its your responceability to fence livestock OUT of where you dont want it,
A carefull reading of IL (where I live) fence laws will show you that you are responceable for 1/2 the fence between you and your neighbor. EVEN IF YOU DONT HAVE ANY STOCK.. and they dont either!

You're right, but they will put you in jail for shooting the dog owner. Confronting the owner is the next correct step and the conversation should include the fact(if it is the fact or law in your area) that you will shoot the dogs. Don't use idle threats if you can't fulfill them though. Do not even attempt anti freeze or poison or anything similar, that's the most inhumane horrible thing to do.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

I had to shoot a dog just the other day. I can't stand stupid people that move to the country and let their dogs roam all over the place. For some reason these people seem to think it is okay for their animals to run up and down the road, or go on to other people's property, just because the houses are not sitting right next to each other.

Had a pack of dogs, two of which I know belong to a family down the road come up on to my place this morning. They started after the chickens, but I was able to chase them away until the chickens were able to flee into the range coop. I went up to the house, got the AR-15 and when I came back out, three of the six dogs were either in with my goats, or trying to get through the electric fence, which was turned off because I was working on it. I fired a shot into the ground near them, as that one was chasing the two month old kids, and the dogs took off running.


Later, I was working in another paddock, and saw the dogs go racing by, towards the goats again. This time I shot the dog that was chasing the goats. I do not like to kill without a good reason, and it really was the fault of the dumb owner of the dog, and not the dog. At least the dog did not suffer much, being a head shot (which despite feeling bad about the dog, I'm proud of that 180-200 yard shot.)

Still, none of this stupid crap would have happened if these people would keep their dogs on their own place.

I've not seen the other dogs around here since then, but they are still down the road, chasing cars.

I think the second hardest thing to face other than shooting a dog to protect your livestock & family is hitting one on the road when it is chasing the car/truck/tractor biting at the tires

wish folks knew what precious fido does when they aren't looking

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There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.

I had this same problem with a neighbor's dog....only with my then 3yo son. The dog kept coming into our yard and chasing my cat (mouser) and I would shoo him away. Finally, I told my neighbor (half mile away) that he needed to do something about his dog. Then one day I heard my son scream and when I ran outside the dog was running away and my son had a tear in the leg of his pants. His leg was red but the skin wasn't broken.

I live in the county and contacted the sheriff and the owner of the dog. I also sent a registered letter to the owner and told him that I would no longer tolerate his dog on my property. Long story short, the dog came back but died shortly thereafter of lead poisoning. .45cal to be exact. Haven't had a problem since. The neighbor has never called me to inquire about the dog either.

TK

Use a 6 foot fence around your animals. I know a dear older woman so loves her fiber bunnies and uses a Weed-Eatter Charger. It burns weeds at the base and will burn hair off any dog who touches it. (She knows her Great Dane got a strip of hair burnt off! )

Patty.

Amen...poisoning dogs is a terrible thing to do.

I'm sorry about your rabbits.

A less expensive alternative might be electric netting. You can move it, and I guarentee the dogs will respect it. I've used it for years to keep our own dogs out of areas I don't want them in, and we've not lost 1 chicken to coyotes since installing it around our chicken pasture.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! I too cannot understand why people let their dogs roam - ours are way too valuable and beloved members of the family - why on earth risk them being shot or poisoned!

I am an evil person that does let my dogs roam freely. However, I spoke to all neighbors w/in 3 miles before I did and let them know if they had ANY problems to let me know and we'd pen them back up. They just seem happier, and we've had no complaints (they normally stay close).

I say all this to tell you I'd be horrified if my dogs did something like this and I'd want to make it right, at least monetarily. Oh, and I also let me neighbors know if my dogs were messing with their livestock they could shoot them.... so I think that's fair game.

Maybe your neighbors are okay with your dogs wandering around, wherever you live, but when I was growing up in Wyoming, most folks didn't take it too kindly, having someone else's dogs coming onto their property, particularly if there were multiple dogs, as that frequently meant that it was a pack, which could do harm to one's livestock. Many a dog was shot in it's tracks, when it was on someone's property, other than it's owner's, whether or not "permission" was given from the dog owner. And, even though folks are pretty darn sue-happy, nowadays, there are still plenty of farmers and ranchers who still won't hesitate to shoot stray dogs on their property, especially if they are chasing/harming livestock. It's that unwritten policy called, "Shoot, Shovel, and Shut-up". I'm not trying to be mean about it; I just know how many farmers and ranchers think, even now, at least in some areas of the country.

I can appreciate your willingness to make things right, monetarily, should your dogs ever do something of this nature, (hopefully, for the sake of your neighbors, it won't ever happen), but, that only covers the cost of the animals that have been injured, or killed. It does nothing for the pain and anguish of losing your animals to someone's dogs; I know, because like others here on this thread, I have also lost rabbits to neighbor's dogs, and it's not fun, (we also had pigs badly injured, although fortunately, our chickens, ducks, and calves weren't, 'though they were chased a few times). It just doesn't give you warm and fuzzy feelings for your neighbors, who allow their dogs to roam.

I just really don't understand why someone would think it was permissible to allow one's dogs to wander the neighborhood? I'm really not trying to be ugly about it, and maybe I'm missing something here, but, I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just really old-school, but I would never let my dogs deliberately run around the countryside, (or anywhere else, for that matter), unsupervised. Not only could they get into the aforementioned trouble, but they could get run over, or any other number of things could happen to them. I really do hope your dogs, and, most especially, your neighbor's animals will be okay.

Minimama said what I was thinking... it stinks to go out and find the animals you've been caring for, are responsible for, and maybe even have an emotional attachment to mauled and in pieces all over the yard. Even if they were intended for the freezer, a death from a dog attack is not a tranquil, painless thing like being headfirst in a pan of grain and never knowing what's coming.

Sure, you might reimburse the cash, but that doesn't help the other investment people have in their animals. You never know but your dog might get hold of a really special creature, or a child's pet, or even just a regular no-frills meat rabbit someone is still responsible for.

When our neighbor's dog killed my rabbits, I felt so sick... it was not peaceful for them, it was terrible, and the survivors were scared of their own shadows for days. Monetary compensation wouldn't have taken away the harsh reality of putting the mangled remains of creatures who relied on me to keep them safe in bags.

Kind of an eerie stillness to going out to a chicken yard that hours before was filled with happy birds going about their business and now it's silent with just a few feathers blowing around and a foot or tail here or there. Even if the dogs die and the money is paid, it still affects people.


Keep your dogs in, you owe it to them and your neighbor's peace of mind.

I have two questions for you- and I swear I am not trying to be mean- but what makes you think your neighbors are being honest? Maybe they just don't want to make trouble? We have had lots of loose, nasty dogs that get in the trash and pack up and chase people....but not many people will complain because one of the owners is well-liked and has lived here way too long, and because the animal control around here sucks and people think it won't do much good. I know of people on my street that HATE those loose dogs but are too nice (or stupid) to call and complain.

I have always felt you are not a good neighbor if you don't contain your animals. Do you go out and follow them and pick up their poop and clean up the trash they get into and keep them out of the road so people who are driving by don't have to worry about running them over? I bet you don't. Do you make sure they aren't running stock back and forth in the pastures? Make sure they aren't teasing dogs that are IN their fences?

And ....Why don't you just keep them fenced? It sounds like you have one. I would be afraid someone would shoot my dogs if they were loose or poison them or hurt them in some way- even if they weren't doing anything bad- just because lots of people are jerks and cruel. I would not take a chance of exposing my pets to this. You said- the dogs seem happier...but will they be happier if they are hit by a car or shot or accidentally poisoned or something?


I'm sorry, really, I'm not meaning to be a jerk but I just don't see why people who refuse to control their animals even bother to have them.

There are people down the street from me who have gone thru at least 4 dogs in less than a year...they have been run over or shot or taken by animal control. They have a lab now that they are hiding from animal control and it bit a girl on the foot- didn't break the skin, just held on and pulled her shoe. So maybe I am just sensitive.

I apologize again......

Sorry....double post

Yes it is but some times you have to do what you have to do.

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Remember, when seconds count. . .
the police are just MINUTES away!

Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. . .Davy Crockett

But would that make 'you' feel happy to have a neighbor call you and show you something like the picture above that your dogs did. Money can't replace a life, even if it is just an animal.

I belive you, every bit, as far as intentions but let me ask you a few honest questions.
Do you think it is fair that ALL the people within miles (a dog can roam 20 miles) should have to be on alert 24/7/365 to defend against your animails?
Is it right that they should also have to be on watch 24/7/365 so that they will know whos dog did the damage if something should occur? Or will you pay ANY dog damage done within 20 miles or so?
Do you have the capability to repay the damages if they should happen to ruin say a million dollars worth of stock?

Here I am, back and decidely evil for letting my dogs roam I'm not sure I have all the answers. Everyone on my road (only about 5) havs dogs they let roam. Peer pressure? JK. Lazy? Probably. Don't apologize for opinions - that's what makes things interesting. If I didn't want to throw myself to the wolves I wouldn't have posted (and also probably my dog to the wolves since I don't keep her penned).

Maybe my neighbors just are being nice and not saying anything, but I think we opened the door for them to have an honest conversation with us. Good point on them not knowing for sure whose dog it was though.

And for fear of sounding like some of the parents at the school where I teach (not my child!) my dogs are older and very well behaved around people and livestock. Two (of the five mind you) of my neighbors have come over to compliment us on how our dogs behave. So should I have them in a fence? Probably. Now surely I am not the only person on this forum that lets their dog roam?

Your not evil, your irresponsible, and as you clearly have no regard for the safety of your own pets its no surprise that you have no regard for your neighbors animals either. Well how would you feel if your dog was poisoned with antifreeze and just managed to crawl home for you to watch its terrible death? Or was hit by a car and laid on the side of the road in agony for hours before you found it? Or was kicked in the head by a horse it was chasing yet not killed and it suffered horrible pain, or perhaps its picked up by a 'buncher' and sold to a lab? I don't want to shoot someone esles dog, I don't want to have my animals ripped apart and get compensation for them, I don't want my childs heart broken because you can't be a responsible dog owner and keep your dogs contained.

And, no my dogs don't roam, I love my dogs and am a good neighbor, and they are always contained.

4-strand electric does nothing to keep my neighbor's dogs or billy goats off my property (though it works very well to keep my own dogs ON my property, but they are also kept inside a 4.5' tall mesh fence inside the perimeter of the 4-strand electric). It does manage to keep the neighbor's horses and cattle off my property, though.

I am so sick and tired of free-roaming dogs. I hate being chased when I walk out to my own mailbox!

Even though your dogs are well-mannered, it doesn't change the fact that any dog can forget itself, in an unsupervised situation, particularly if there is a pack of them, running, (rather like a bunch of kids that can, and sometimes do, forget themselves, and their manners, when they are running together). Dogs are predators, and the instinct can kick in, particularly when a prey-type animal starts to run, giving rise to excitement in the dogs. Would your dogs cause harm to your neighbors' animals? Perhaps not, but I don't think it's a good idea to take such a risk, both for your dogs' sakes, and especially for the neighbors' livestock.

I'd also say that if your neighbors are that tolerant, and even allow their own dogs to roam, they must not either understand, or care, what harm could come of it, and they, too, are asking for potential trouble. And, above and beyond any possible problems with someone's livestock, or your dogs getting hurt, there is simply the matter of common courtesy. No matter how well-behaved someone's dogs are, it's no excuse to deliberately allow them to roam and wander, off of their own property. I presume that you wouldn't care for someone to bring their dogs into your home, unannounced and uninvited? It's the same concept when it pertains to someone's land. It's private property, and should be treated with respect, the same as you would probably want done with yours.

I don't know, I guess I really am old-school. I certainly hope that, wherever you live, y'all don't "come a cropper", as the saying goes.