Neighbors dogs chasing mare...advice please?

Just a heads up: Pennsylvania dog laws state that "You may not place any poison or harmful substance in any place where dogs may easily eat it, whether it is your own property or elsewhere"

Seems like most states have laws like this in place for people who have no sense of innate humaneness.

Poison is not legal in many place and beyond the fact that it isn't a quick or humane death, it may impact more than the intended target. It isn't uncommon to kill a few good predators or non problematic animals, just to get rid of a single problem dog.

Years ago, I had a problem with dogs bothering my broodmares and the best solution I found was to put a few of my more 'maternal' longhorn cows and calves in with my mares and foals and the problem was solved. I dropped the first few dead dogs off with the irresponsible owner, explained that longhorns play for keeps and a kennel was constructed the next day.

the three S's

Well - from what I read this doesn't apply if a dog is harassing or killing life stock - as I mentioned I know that the Pa, Game Commission has used poison to kill animals - if you try to shoot the dog and you don't kill it right away and it runs away you got other problems - also the law states that no one can leave a poison substance out to intentionally harm a dog or cat - let's face it - leaving it out without the intent is no crime - isn't it a shame that people have to even think of killing someone's dog or cat - if people would only be responsible pet owners things like this wouldn't happen - and who suffers - the poor animal -

Now if I was the owner of the horse I would go and talk to the dog owner and explain the problem - it that didn't work I would trap the dog - either with a cage or with a leg hold trap - then take it to the animal shelter - I would keep doing this until the problem no longer existed -

If you didn't worry about killing the dog you could use a snare to trap it - it would be easy to trap a dog - either with a cage - a foot hold trap - or a snare - if using some kind of food as bait - maybe the dog would even come to you if you offered it food - then you can grab it and take it to the shelter - there is no doubt - you need to do something - good luck - sorry that you have such stupid neighbors -

I agree that the problem stems from humans rather than the dogs but I still don't agree that poison is a solution and I'd rather not see a leghold trap used either because of the damage caused to the animal a d I'm not sure that a person wouldn't be charged for injuries the dog may sustain from them. If one is considering poisoning a neighbour's pet, I would strongly suggest doing a great deal of research because it is absolutely not legal in a great many places and could result in some pretty serious charges.

Realistically, if a person is reluctant to shoot a dog that is bothering livestock, I suspect they will also not be fond of trapping or poison but they need to contact the dog owner and have a serious discussion about the potential harm to the horse, the consequences of that harm and possibly purchase an paintball gun to mark the dog so the owner can't argue the fact that their dog is not staying on their own property but at some point in time, there will be a need to resolve the situation.

Put out poison and kill a couple of large birds, eagles, hawks, or owls and get caught. That would be very expensive.

Up here it involves legal fees and incarceration.

Poisoning pets is generally illegal and quite likely to get the OP a lawsuit and even jail time for cruelty to animals. Not to mention it is a truly horrible thing to do.

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"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." C S Lewis

Shoot, shovel, shut up.

If you got this mare for your daughter to ride, my biggest concern would be if the dogs showed up while she was riding.

Tell them that with the track record, that is attempted murder.

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Roger

Conibear 220s on the outside perimeter.

I like dogs, but dogs out of control and running livestock are feral. Even if they live in a house.

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Roger

If the dog owner doesn't keep the dog from coming on your property - there isn't a good solution so to speak - everything you do will in one way hurt the animal or the owner - it is just a terrible situation - there are a lot of choices as to how you can deal with it - I think trapping it and taking it to a shelter is probably the least hurtful to the animal -

Let me say this - when I was young I use to trap - and a leghold trap isn't as bad as people make it out to be - sure it may cause the animal's foot to be sore for awhile but generally it will get over it - putting poison out to get the dog - if that's the way someone decides - needs to be done with a little thought behind it - so that you don't get animals that you don't intent to get - and no one can prove that you did it -

Using a snare or conibear trap will kill the dog - so you need to do it where nobody can see what happened unless its trapping season - shooting the gun can cause additional problems if you don't kill the animal right away -

During trapping season if you put out legal traps and a stray dog happens to get caught in one of them then you have no problem because you have the right to trap and the dog shouldn't left to roam around -

The OP mentioned that the police officer told him that he can shoot the dog if it chases the horse - this you can do legally anytime - so it up to the OP - the dog owners will probably hate the OP from that time on - may try to get even sometime

A lot of people would have said nothing to anyone about the dog chasing the horse - they would have just SSS and nobody would know what happened to the dog - sometimes that is the best solution - once you complain - and when the dog disappears than you are suspected - otherwise no one knows what happened - if the dog owner ever mentions that their dog is missing - just say that you will keep an eye open for it and hope they find it cause it was such a nice dog - while you say this - make sure you keep your fingers crossed - cause you ain't really lying then -

here is a dog in a conibear trap:

http://wildlifezone.wordpress.com/20...g-in-conibear/


Pets who haven't done anything wrong don't deserve this especially if they haven't even entered the pasture. It's one thing to shoot a dog that's chasing horses...another thing entirely to lethally trap or poison.

General Brown,(the op), has not posted any more since post #22. I'm sure he will take care of his problem somehow and wish him the best.

Unless the op is committed to shooting every dog in a ten mile radius, along with their replacements this problem is going to continue. Or they could get rid of the source of the problem.... the horse.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Agree. Not to mention that horses are dangerous to begin with, and now this one is paranoid of dogs. So living next to a city, likely it will see a dog now and then while riding.

Their horse on their property is the source of the problem? REALLY?

Well ya gotta admit the dogs were not chasing it before it showed up.... in many jurisdiction horses are considered leagaly as an attractive hazard. A child may get themselves injured or killed by their presence. The owner of the horse is usually found liable in such cases.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Dry land sets with Connibear 220s are illegal in Missouri.

Exactly! These types of questions come up from time to time. But my advice is always the same. Remember Push comes to Shove. You have every right to shoot the neighbor's dog, they have been warned. But it is still their dog. You mentioned building a pen for your dog. You shoot their dog, justifiably and you can expect they will kill your dog the first time it touches their land. Perhaps they'll do some other destructive action. Perhaps you could video the canines in action while someone calls the cops. Then you don't have to kill the dog and the cops said next time they get a ticket. Let them be angry at the cops.

Years ago a pack of dogs ran one of mares through a fence which cut up her chest and legs . She lived through it. If I could have gotten to a gun before the dogs got away I would have shot and killed as many as possible. I'm just glad I didn't have a horse that needed put down.
Last Fall we videoed via trail cam a pack of three dogs on our property. We checked with neighbors in a five mile radius, asking them if the dogs sounded familiar. We were given a name and address a paid a visit to the man who owned the dogs. I told him we had photos of the dogs on our property, that we had a variety of livestock and could/would not tolerate the dogs chasing anything. I didn't threatened the dogs but I think he understood the consequences. I'm sure that having photos of his dogs helped.
I love dogs, have three and two "grand dogs" but I am not going to have my captive livestock harassed or killed by dogs who have irresponsible owners.
Regarding catching the dogs and taking them to the pound...I have seen very few strays or members of a pack who will come to you or stand still to be captured.

Killing a dog(s) is a sickening thought but I think if a person stands by and lets their livestock be killed or harassed then they should rethink animal ownership.