pit bull picking off guineas

[StonyGarden]

My poor in-laws started out with 9 guineas. Now they are down to 4. A black snake got 3 (ate 1, 2 others were dead in the pen). Now something has been picking the rest off. They were just disappearing without a trace but yesterday my MIL noticed the neighbor's black pit bull was coming up the driveway (neighbor lives about 3/4 mile away). She though nothing of it until she heard the guineas doing their distress call. She ran outside and saw the pit bull running along the tree line back towards her home. They counted heads and another guinea was missing. They found the body a few feet away in the tall grass.

There is no leash law in my county but there is a law that allows for livestock owners to shoot and kill dogs that are chasing livestock. My FIL is going to talk to the neighbor to try to convince her to pen up or tie up her dog. I feel bad for my in-laws and for the dog. It's just a crappy situation all around.

 

[Collector]

That is a sad situation, hope it can be resolved without to many hard feelings.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, thats a hard situation. Talking to them is probably the best thing but who knows how much good it will do? Some people will be responsible for their animals and some wont. And it makes it hard to SSS when you have talked to them, especially when you have neighbors that see you do it. (Shoot, shovel, shut up)

If they have to shoot it, and they may have to, I suggest they take pictures to show what it was doing. Try to document it. Maybe even make a report now to the sheriff. Get it on record that that specific dog is causing a problem.

In Arkansas and Oklahoma, you have the right to protect your animals and property. But you dont have the right to just up and shoot a dog that wanders onto your property. A fellow over on Oklahoma recently had to post a $15,000 bail after he shot two coon dogs that treed a coon on his property. Those dogs were not threatening him, his family, or his property. And they had a tracking device on their collar so the hunters could find them.

Ive shot dogs before that were killing my chickens. Somebody dropped them off in the country for the good life. Ill do it again if I have to and take photos of why I did it. If I see them before they learn to kill, Ive been known to take them to the county shelter. Its free here to drop them off.

But I had a real dilemma once. A neighbors supposedly healthy husband just fell over dead with a heart problem. Her granddaughter gave her a puppy to comfort her. That pup stared chasing my chickens. What do you do? I know the lady and the granddaughter. The granddaughter is who takes care of my chickens when I visit my granddaughter. The grandmothers not going to keep that pup contained. Shes still grieving. That pup was also chasing neighbors cattle, including young calves, and horses. That pup just disappeared one day. The coyotes got it. I think her son took care of the problem before I was forced to do something.

I wish your in-laws luck. Through no fault of their own, they may be in a hard spot.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I have neighbors who will let their dogs out to do their "duty" and go back in the house and not watch the dogs. I had two of their dogs come in my yard, sniffing, and doing their "duty" in my yard. I went out side to chase them off and the dogs came after me. The one is supposed to be a black lab and harmless, but he lunged at me everytime I tried to move. MontyJ went up and told them what was going on, they just stood their porch and called for the dogs. I'd have been hot footing it after the dogs. Our dog is never outside un supervised. I dont know why they think they can let their dogs run loose like that. We do have a leash law. MontyJ told the neighbors if it happens again he will shoot the dogs. Hope you can resolve the situation with out hard feelings

 

[seedcorn]

Amish neighbor lets his husky's loose. Letting go for rabbits, etc so he doesn't have to feed them. Got into my chickens. Told him, next time, they won't be coming home. He just gave me that "I don't understand look". No wonder his nick name is Einstein. But he knows how to make kids. Really don't need his genes in human gene pool.

 

[catjac1975]

There may not be a leash law but, they have a responsibility to control their animals to cause no harm. We had an ongoing problem with a neighbor when my kids were small. My oldest hates dogs because of the smelly, scary dogs that never bit us but made us fearful on our own property. My husband is a gentle giant. I always feel you have to be extra careful with neighbors that are crazy, because crazy can do anything. One time we had to call the police because of a close call with one of the attacking dogs. My husband was so upset they told him to stay indoors until they arrived. When they finally came to speak to us, I told them to tell the neighbors that the next time I would not call them I would call my lawyer.They finally got rid of the attacking dog. The wife still lives nearby has done a pretty good job of keeping her dog home. (It has bit another neighbor.) Suddenly it is now coming in my yard. It is so old and sick that I am not too worried about it. But , now my grandson is afraid of it. I am doing nothing at the moment because I know as soon as this one dies she will get a barking all day puppy. Those kind of people always get the aggressive types of dog and never train them. This woman leaves the dog alone for days on end with a bowl of water and food. This same family had a party where one of the guests brought the biggest dog I have ever seen. Of course it was soon near my chicken coop and king of ran at me. I yelled for them to come get it, which they did, and they yelled at me for being upset. People are such jerks.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

People don't take responsibility for their animals. I have another neighbor on the other side of me, that dog had a littler of puppies about 6 or 7 years ago... she knew it was about to deliver the pups but took off camping all summer. She came home to find another of her dogs dead. the dog that had puppies tore the second dog to shreds for getting near her pups. Later that same day the mommy dog was in our yard, still covered in blood from the attack. Of course we called the pound and they took the dog and puppies away from the owner. But we have been lucky none of her other dogs have been in our yard yet. I know if one gets to the chickens, MontyJ will not be very nice. She has breeding pugs ( ugly dogs to me) and they are mean.

 

[Jared77]

We have one of those next door at our new house. He's a black lab mix. Head, ear placement/shape make me think Shar Pei but don't know for sure and don't care to know.

Within being at the house 48 hrs he chased my daughter 2x back into our house. I was still mad I was painting and didn't have a gun handy or I'd have shot him right then and there no questions asked. Claim self defense of my daughter and that would have been it. He's an escape artist, fear aggressive and holy terror if he's out.

When we talked with our neighbors they were horrified that it happened and even showed me the efforts they've gone to, trying to keep him in the yard. Still no luck. Short of tying him up he gets out. What gets me is he'll come up looking for a fight, and believe me he'll get one. Every time he comes out barking at me I keep hoping he'll bite me so he can be put down. I'd gladly take a bite right now to have him dealt with. We have a pretty aggressive law in the area about dangerous dogs since a woman was killed by 2 large dogs about 6 years ago. They don't mess around here.

That or I keep hoping he'll escape and be loose so the matter can be addressed also.

The neighbors also have 2 other dogs who are well behaved. He's just not wired right. The neighbor even said so when we last talked. Despite their best efforts with socialization and training from a very young age he just doesn't care about praise, or food rewards. The only thing he understands is compulsion/corrections. She even told me to use paintball guns, air guns etc to keep him out off our property and our kids safe. She's utterly fed up with him and once the kids move out (its the son's dog and he's a Jr in H.S.) we hope he'll go with him, or he'll be dealt with by the parents.

When I watched him go under the fence to chase my daughter back into our house he no longer was a nuisance barking dog, he showed me exactly who he was and know I know what I'm dealing with.

 

[so lucky]

Wow, Jared, what an awful surprise to get with your new house and yard. Like a very few people, apparently there are some animals that can't be rehabilitated. We shouldn't have to live in fear of them. Do what you have to do.

 

[catjac1975]

I can't believe she told you to keep it out of your yard. Your child will grow up afraid of dogs as mine did. You need to begin reporting it so you don't end up the bad guy. Your child safety is the most important thing.

We have one of those next door at our new house. He's a black lab mix. Head, ear placement/shape make me think Shar Pei but don't know for sure and don't care to know.

Within being at the house 48 hrs he chased my daughter 2x back into our house. I was still mad I was painting and didn't have a gun handy or I'd have shot him right then and there no questions asked. Claim self defense of my daughter and that would have been it. He's an escape artist, fear aggressive and holy terror if he's out.

When we talked with our neighbors they were horrified that it happened and even showed me the efforts they've gone to, trying to keep him in the yard. Still no luck. Short of tying him up he gets out. What gets me is he'll come up looking for a fight, and believe me he'll get one. Every time he comes out barking at me I keep hoping he'll bite me so he can be put down. I'd gladly take a bite right now to have him dealt with. We have a pretty aggressive law in the area about dangerous dogs since a woman was killed by 2 large dogs about 6 years ago. They don't mess around here.

That or I keep hoping he'll escape and be loose so the matter can be addressed also.

The neighbors also have 2 other dogs who are well behaved. He's just not wired right. The neighbor even said so when we last talked. Despite their best efforts with socialization and training from a very young age he just doesn't care about praise, or food rewards. The only thing he understands is compulsion/corrections. She even told me to use paintball guns, air guns etc to keep him out off our property and our kids safe. She's utterly fed up with him and once the kids move out (its the son's dog and he's a Jr in H.S.) we hope he'll go with him, or he'll be dealt with by the parents.

When I watched him go under the fence to chase my daughter back into our house he no longer was a nuisance barking dog, he showed me exactly who he was and know I know what I'm dealing with.