?? the neighbors cow is in our pasture; what to do?

If they haven't responded to your messages and notes. Catch the cow and haul it to the local livestock auction and have it sold. Or all the sheriff or livestock inspector to document the occurrence and have them remove it if they will. I wouldn't worry about its well being if its owner doesn't.

Bobg

Not necessarily true, better check your state law. In most states one half the fence separating you and your neighbor is yours. And yes, you are responsible for fencing the neighbors livestock out.

Bobg

I have found that if I do get upset when the neighbor's animals get out, very soon mine do the same thing. Doing something to" punish" the neighbor will make you real popular in your new neighborhood! if it is a ongoing problem that's different- find a way to solve the problem. Many areas of WA are designated open range, if you don't want the livestock on your property, you have to fence them out.

Thanks all. I wasn't upset about it. I just didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure the pasture the cow (turns out it was a young bull) got into was safe. There is a lot of clean up that needs to happen around this place. I didn't want any trouble to fall on me because of that, but I wasn't upset. And the neighbor was responsible and polite about it all, so... seems like we will have some decent neighbors over here. That's good to know. =0)

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"Relish your reading. Make note of the melody of the phrases, the architecture of the page. Let the joy of discovery soak right down to your bones!" Dr. George Grant (paraphrased)

Cindy-E It seems to be a good thing that little bull getting out.
You got to meet a nice neighbor. I really like the advice here that said just leave it alone until morning. Good neighbors are a real treasure.

You need to read the original post and my post from which you quoted. The cow broke through the owners fence. And I do know MY states' law which holds the owner of wandering livestock strictly liable for any damage caused by their wandering livestock. Not knowing the state in which the OP resides I said what the law was in MY state which I said was the law for MY state. You can check the Ohio Revised Code yourself if you don't believe me. Also, in MY state if a person is running livestock on a line fence and the other property owner does not have livestock the livestock owner is responsible for damage done by their livestock.

Fence laws and livestock laws vary greatly by state. The only way to know for sure is to check YOUR state law. But either way, the cow wasn't doing any damage and was not likely to create a road hazard. In which case in any state the neighborly thing to do is to contact the owner and wait for them to come and get the cow.

cindy-e, I'm glad it worked out.

Cows and sheep and goats just don't understand this property line thing to well. It's just like when you are driving down a country road and find someone's goat with it's head stuck in the fence. The neighborly thing to do is either to tell the person or help the goat get it's head unstuck.

You meet the nicest people this way!!!

Testy, testy are we Danaus29

Bobg

We just had the neighbor's horse come visiting from across the road and 1/4 mi away. He got out of his fence (poor fencing) and broke our electric in one spot. Thankfully, our son was out very early to hunt and saw the horse and our three heifers still inside the fence. While I was a little miffed (second time for the horse visit) it's more important to keep decent relations with a young, strong neighbor who may help us run down our livestock some day, rather than him watch them going down the road.
I won't put up with too many visits but DH has suggested that he offer to help the neighbor shore up his fence.

The cows they be comin' to your yard and be like Your grass, is better than hers. Your grass, is better than hers.

Yea. Our grass has not been grazed in a long time, so probably so. And if my pastures were clean and my fences steady, I wouldn't mind. It would actually help me out to get them in there to mow it down a little bit. But having just moved in, we are not ready for that yet. Still have a lot of work to do before we can have animals out there.

Cindyc.

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"Relish your reading. Make note of the melody of the phrases, the architecture of the page. Let the joy of discovery soak right down to your bones!" Dr. George Grant (paraphrased)

it may be the next visit is your stock to his pasture.

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àigeach carnaid
chaora dhubh
"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

cruachan

Yeah, just a little. Sorry.

Yup.... some cows are never satisfied always thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence ....

You might ask your neighbor if he wants his cattle to graze your pasture to do you both a favor. You might save him from purchasing some hay this winter and in return you can get your pasture mowed. your neighbor might even do something about the holes in your pasture to make it safer. If i could get free use of good grass for the cost of pulling a disc and drag through your pasture, I would jump at that deal.