Sad pet story...

[marini martini]

Sad story. Two of our dogs were shot for killing the rancher's chicken a few years back.

[CosmicCowboy]

So I am curious. What is the code in that part of the country if say it WAS dog that got out and started killing my neighbors chickens? Is it still procedure to shoot the animal regardless?

Are you asking about the law? In the situation you describe it is perfectly legal to kill dogs that are attacking your livestock. If you called the sheriff they would come out and tell you that the neighbor had every right to shoot your dog and it was YOUR responsibility to keep your dogs on your property and not chasing livestock. At the same time, everyone loves dogs and knows that emotions can run high where they are concermed. MOST country neighbors will call and give the neighbors one chance to recover and control their dogs. In the case of good neighbors money frequently changes hands as compensation for damages. It is an unspoken rule that there will be no second chances. Theres even a name for it...Triple S...shoot, shovel, and shut up. The dog/s just disappear.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Chopper, I'm sorry about the dog...I really am...the neighbor handled it badly...At the same time, Your FIL is right. Country dogs that kill livestock either get penned up 24/7 or get killed. It's not the chicken owners job to build an indestructible chicken coop and keep his chickens penned up 24/7. It's the dog owners job to keep the dog from killing chickens one way or another. I personally know ranchers that have (humanely) killed their own dogs under similar cir stances where they were attacking the neighbors livestock and didn't want them to live the rest of their lives penned up in a cage.

I do understand the rules change in the country. I remember my grandfather used to keep a shotgun by the front door for taking out the stray dogs that would come after his chickens...although he'd usually just use birdshot and scare 'em away. I think what got me worse than anything was the fact this guy didn't make sure the dog was dead. My dogs have always been more like kids to me, so the thought of this dog suffering was kind of rough.

Heck, I had a dog get cancer in his jaw a few years ago and I spent $5K on chemo treatments just to give him an extra couple of years. Actually typing that out now it sounds nuts to me, but that's how much I love those animals. So I can't imagine doing that to your dog in the manner this guy did.

[Shastafarian]

Are you asking about the law? In the situation you describe it is perfectly legal to kill dogs that are attacking your livestock. If you called the sheriff they would come out and tell you that the neighbor had every right to shoot your dog and it was YOUR responsibility to keep your dogs on your property and not chasing livestock. At the same time, everyone loves dogs and knows that emotions can run high where they are concermed. MOST country neighbors will call and give the neighbors one chance to recover and control their dogs. In the case of good neighbors money frequently changes hands as compensation for damages. It is an unspoken rule that there will be no second chances. Theres even a name for it...Triple S...shoot, shovel, and shut up. The dog/s just disappear.

I'm pretty sure what this guy did violated the Animal Welfare Act.

[TDMVPDPOY]

so ummm is he going to eat that or not?

[Mark in Austin]

I have a good friend who came up with a solution when his dogs figured out how to get into the nieghbors chicken cages (the big dog would use his snout to push the door open long enough for the little dog to climb in & kill the chickens. Then the big dog would push the door open again to allow the little dog to pull out the chickens. Pretty smart.):

He locked both dogs in separate stalls in the barn. Then he strapped a dead chicken to each dogs back. Twice a day for a week he'd come into the stall and beat the living out of each dog using a dead chicken.

They never went near the cages again.

[Cleveland Steamer]

It wouldn't be an issue for me because if the code of the country is that you don't let your dog roam, then my dog would not roam. Unequivocally. The fact remains, somebody shoots my dog? I'd kill them.

I don't know about anyone else, but my best friend in the whole world is a golden retriever. Outside of my parents and sister, my dog is FAR more important to me than any human being alive. So maybe I can't step back and look at this through the 'country' lens, if that's the way the country works then the country. All I can say is that is some kickin rancher ever did that to my dog, I would end his life. Without thinking twice.

you sound badass. they should make a movie about you.

[Cleveland Steamer]

country folks defend their with force. that's just the way the way it is. no reason pitch a fit about it.