[Bright Raven]

A year or so ago the next doors spaniel dog (not well trained and without a collar) kept breaking into my garden and chasing my chickens. On one occasion my black rock was so badly shaken it never laid again and died a month later. Now the damn dog has broken into my field during the week end and chased the sheep. The owner was asked to be more responsible and keep the dog on a lead. This morning it was let loose and it broke into the turkey pen and scragged one bird to death before being recovered by the bloke next door, who had to break through the gate to recover the dog.
I want to give him the bird and charge him £50 for my losses.  What do you think I should do? Has anyone had any experience of taking out court injunctions on other peoples dogs?  Is strangling the same as shooting in the eyes of the law? I am a lousy shot but I recon I could twist its head off with my bare hands I am so cross.

[doganjo]

You should have reported all these incidents to the police and the dog warden at the time, and it is not too late to do so on this occasion.  Phone them now.  Personally as a dog breeder, owner, and judge i would expect that to happen if any of mien got away from me.  This dog is NOT under control and the owner is irresponsible.  He must be told to change his ways by an authoritative person.  I would also expect to have to pay for the damage my dog caused.

[Bright Raven]

Thanks for your good advice. I have just called the Dog Warden and the police for an incident number. Feeling less cross now I have taken some action.

[manian]

when 3 dogs (2 lerchers and a greyhound) ran into our garden (off the lead) and mawled our cat we only got the cost of the vets bill in compensation.... . the police said that only if we felt we were in danger could they do anything about the dog.........
i'd tell him to cough up at least £50.... and the cost of the lock!

[doganjo]

when 3 dogs (2 lerchers and a greyhound) ran into our garden (off the lead) and mawled our cat we only got the cost of the vets bill in compensation.... . the police said that only if we felt we were in danger could they do anything about the dog.........
i'd tell him to cough up at least £50.... and the cost of the lock!

A cat is one thing, farm stock is a totally different ball game.  Farmers are allowed to shoot a dog that is seen running in a field with sheep - not even if it is actually chasing them - just running in the same field!  where I was walking my dogs today there is easy access to a grain field, my older bitch jumped a burn and went into the field to hunt pheasants.  I immediately whistled her back even though I knew there were no animals in there, just in case she could get further out where there were any.

[Bright Raven]

Do we think that if there is the right to shoot it could also include humanly and swiftly dispatching with any other means? I am rarely out with my gun and even then I would probably miss. I am however, a crack shot with a cosh.

[Bright Raven]

Also I wish that everyone was as responsible as doganjo.

[doganjo]

Do we think that if there is the right to shoot it could also include humanly and swiftly dispatching with any other means? I am rarely out with my gun and even then I would probably miss. I am however, a crack shot with a cosh.

For goodness sake don't take matters into your own hands.  Farmers who shoot dogs without good reason are rarely popular even if they do have that right.     I'm sure the Police and Dog warden are your best bets.

[Cinderhills]

How awful for you.    I hope things get sorted out and something done about that irresponsible dog owner sooner rather than later.

[bazzais]

I would find it hard to threaten to kill someones dog and follow it through - even if it was frightening my stock.  Something on the spur of the moment maybe different.

I cant believe your neighbour dont have that same respect back to you and your animals.  - Its the owner that should be made to feel respect. Hard problem to solve though.

Baz

[NormandyMary]

Last summer, one of our neighbours dogs got into our garden chased and killed 2 chickens, and injured another chicken and my cockeral. The neighbours were on holiday, and the person supposedly caring for their dogs wasnt doing the job properly. We charged them for 3 new chickens as the injured one didnt lay for a while, but what I didnt know, was that I should have informed the Gendarmes and the Mayor as it would have been classed as a dangerous dog. I only knew about a month after that that was the proceedure over here. If anything like it happens again, God forbid, Ill be on the phone PDQ!!
( Our neighbours are about 400 metres away, as we live in the middle of the countryside!)

[sabrina]

Years ago I had a yearling filly, she was about 15 hands and a lovely looking girl. I was walking up the road to check her when I saw two men throw a pair of lurcher dogs into a van and leg it. When I got to my field the filly was no where to be seen. I found her lying over a stone wall unable to get up. She had the skin of her back legs, damaged to her back which she never recovered from, vet and I were pretty sure the dogs had chased her and in her panic she had tried to clear the wall which was far to high for her to jump. If i had been there god knows what I would have done, took me years to get over losing her. We had to put sheep netting and electric fencing everywhere to keep my neighbours dog out when we bought this place, they thought it was funny to see their dog PLAYING with my foals. I put my big cob mare and her foal out one day and the dog jumped over the fence, lets just say it never happened again, mare was very foal proud.!!!

[HappyHippy]

I'm so sorry to hear about your turkey  I think you're well within yor rights to ask them for some compensation.
I'm having a similar problem............with my own dog 
We've had laying hens for a number of years (they live in a big run in the garden, but free range regularly) and the dog has never shown any interest in them. This year we decided to get 6 hubbards and 3 turkeys and have a go at raising them. I don't know if it's because the hubbards were slower or smaller (or if Boris overheard us saying they were for eating  ) but we lost 4 of the 6 chickens last week. Initial reaction was fox or buzzard (we have lots of both) but then we found a body and the dog started farting terribly (they way he does if he's had too much meat) then we saw him chase after the remaining 2. Needless to say they were quickly added to the safety of the garden run. But today, while I was out working, hubby let the dog out and when he went to let him back in discovered 2 dead turkeys  My brother's girlfriend caught him 'in the act' 
I would never consider getting rid of Boris (he's a big, soft lump of a rescue dog and great with the kids and people in general) and after all, he's just doing what comes natuarally but it's a major worry with the piglets. He used to go and 'play' with them, in a kinda babysitting way.................that's all going to have to stop  and I'll have to be doubly carefull when it comes to lambing time. I would hate to think he'd even try it, but I know that if he did I would face the prospect of a shot dog or a hefty compensation payout and if he did do anything, I'd have to reconsider whether he could stay with us or not.
I'd like to think I'm a fairly responsible dog owner, but it's amazing how many people (despite signs warning them) just let their dog's out to run wherever they like or don't put them on a lead........time for a new public information campaign me thinks !
Karen 

[Bright Raven]

Update.
I had a conversation with the dog owner and he will not accept liability because I can't prove it. He also says that he can't see how the dog got in or out of my turkey pen. Worst of all he also suggested that I killed the bird myself in order to create a reason to have a moan about his dog. 
He is also furious that I have informed the police and the dog warden before talking to him about it. He is refusing to pay any compensation. He has also said that the dog was only in my field for 30 seconds.
I know it was there for more than three minutes because I have two calls on my answer machine from my neighbour with time stamps telling me that the dog was in the field and the calls were three mins apart.
What would you do next?

[HappyHippy]

Well, part of me would want to tell him next time any dog is on your property, worrying livestock it will be shot  so if he's certain it's not his dog he's nothing to worry about 
But the other (slightly more rational) part of me would talk to the police or dog warden to see what your legal position is, since he's denying it. Although it's probably not what you want to hear, I doubt they'd do much without concrete proof. It does sound like he's particularly fired up though, very defensive and will probably come off looking like a bit of a tw*t if/when anyone official visits, so hopefully they'll be more inclined to add weight to your case, rather than his. Killed the turkey yourself, just to moan about his dog    I've had neighbours like that  Hope you get it sorted soon
Karen x