This woman let her dog out of the dog park without a leash. the dog ran across the road to my pasture fence and scared the sheep and turkeys inside that fence away from the fence. The dog then ran down my fence, through my gate and started chasing the turkeys it found about 100' down my driveway. The woman didn't attempt to pursue the dog at all. The dog was tearing feathers off the turkeys and the main reason that it didn't kill any of them was that it couldn't figure out which one it wanted to start with. I grabbed my rifle, stood on a pile of logs and took aim at the dog attacking my livestock. I fired a shot into the ground close to it, and it froze when it heard the gunshot. If the dog had not stopped the attack the second shot would have been into its head.
I took a couple of steps closer to the dog with the intent of grabbing it and it started after the turkeys again. A second shot got it to stop again, and it took another shot for me to get close enough to the dog to grab it by the collar, about an acre or so into my property.
Rifle in one hand and dog in the other, I met the dogs owner 25' inside my gate. "I'm sorry that my dog got out of the fence". "lady, the only reason I didn't shoot your dog today was that it stopped attacking when I fired near it. It would have been easier to shoot it and let you remove the dead dog. Keep your dog on a leash until you're INSIDE the dog park, and put it on a leash before you leave the dog park. This is an agricultural area. Respect that. "
I talked to Chris Newman, who is running the dog park, and explained I'd had another dog related incident. This is the 6th one. "Bruce, I've told people to keep their dogs on lease, I'd support you if you shot one". I've asked him to put a better fence up on his side, but he thinks that the current dog park fence is enough.
I don't think that most folks who take their dogs to an offleash area consider they may lose their dog as a result. I don't like being the bad guy here, but I've done about all I can do. I've been clear, I've spent $4,000 on fencing, and I've lost livestock.
Maybe I should just start shooting them.
That lady is so unbelievably lucky, she has no idea. That was incredibly kind of you to catch the dog. I'm just sorry that people like that make dog park people look like idiots, and cause trouble for people like you who happen to live nearby. I think most reasonable dog people would be more upset with her behavior than yours, and the dog is the one that gets punished in the end.
ReplyDeleteMaybe signage across from the dog park entrance about your $4000 investment in fencing to protect you investment in livestock leaves you no choice but to destroy any dog allowed to enter your property without permission. I don't know if the same people who let their dogs loose earlier would change their habits, but maybe you would feel you had given them fair warning and are now free to act. I guess it could also be a downer for your customers visting the farm, though.
ReplyDeleteDave's comment cracks me up, ". . . .a favor . . .too dumb to own an animal."
ReplyDeleteChris Newman should put up several huge signs that say you have the legal right to shoot any dog found chasing livestock or trespassing onto your property, and to RELEASH YOUR DOGS BEFORE LEAVING THE FENCED AREA OR YOUR DOG WILL BE SHOT!!!!
I think Dave's suggestion for a warning sign might very well be a good idea. But before you actually shoot a dog, you might want to have a good lawyer lined up, because some of those dog-owning assholes will be sure to sue you or bring criminal charges against you. And by the way, I have a 13-year old dog that I love greatly. But we too live out in the country and I understand your position all too well.
ReplyDeleteSadly, you may have to shoot one to get the others to fall in line. You were bloody lucky that dog stopped when you shot.
ReplyDeletePS. Morning! Nice to see I'm not the only one up at this hour...
ReplyDelete"an acre or so into my property."
ReplyDeletebut an acre is an area how can it be a distance?
an acre is 208' square, so in this case I was using it to indicate that distance into the property.
ReplyDeleteShoot them. Putting an off leash dog park next to a working farm is a really dumb idea in my opinion. I love dogs, but you have to make a living. Who knows how many other times your animals are being harassed and killed when you aren't present to observe what is happening.
ReplyDeleteYou really need a pack of livestock guardian dogs that will protect your livestock and chase off or kill any intruders.
Shoot the dogs! Any dog that sets foot on our land is a dead one, if the donkeys dont get it then we do.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad, but losing animals that were in their own territory and doing nothing wrong is sadder! We have lost too much money on livestock due to people's pets.
Chris newman has made some changes that seem to be reducing the dog pressure on my fence. I'm withholding judgement until I see how it works out. I'd like to have this resolved.
ReplyDelete