What would you do??

neighbors dogs (7 pit bulls) got in with my cattle back in july--- ripping the ears on my bull and bitting the legs and throats of others. called the sheriff and was told to shoot on sight. but have been unable to catch them. now saturday nite it happened again..this time 1 left gut shot and bleeding. I tried to talk to the owner but he was out of town. and yes there was another call to the sherriff.. last nite again it happend and I found the owner and he said it wont happen again. the sheriff is no help what so ever and I have four small childern that are scared to death to go to the barn!!! what can i do next

Get a court order from a judge to collect the dogs until an escape proof pen/fence is installed. The sheriff will have to serve it. Myself, I would lay for the suckers and kill them all. If they bite my kids the owner would be next. NO excuse for this bull#$@t from your neighbor. The dogs are PACK HUNTING and will surely chase a human down and attack them.

Steel traps.big ones

30.06

That would be enough to scare me into buying a semiautomatic with a good night vision scope. You can always sell it when the threat is gone.

Never bothered to call Sheriff, new there really wasn't anything they could do. If there was a unfreindly looking stray they would disappear. Kids are older now, but wasn't taking any chances when they were younger.

30.06 and nite vision are great suggestion but Im not seeing these dogs till its too late. the neighbor is about 3/4 of a mile away. I've had traps set back in july and august but he kept his dogs under control and I came up empty!!

they have a taste for blood now,you need to protect your family at any cost,as others said get a court order now,and always carry your gun ,stay safe and shoot straight good luck.

Aim small miss small

I would wait for the dogs with my friend MR. REMINGTON (12 gauge). If they were a little out of range, I would introduce them to my other good friend MR. RUGER (30.06). You need to protect yourself, your family and especially your livestock since they are in the most trouble the way it sounds. In my neighborhood, with all the livestock, dogs only get 1 chance. The next time it's a dirt nap. Sorry if I seem cruel here, but people need to be resposible for all their animals. Good luck.
Kow Farmer

If they are using a certain spot to go through your fence set up some snares.

Get a court order. Get Animal Control involved. Shoot to kill on sight, no warning shots. Tell teh neighbor that you WILL NOT TOLERATE any more of this, and inform him, in writing that in the event of injury to a family member, suit will be filed promptly. Stand up for yourself and your family, let him know you wont stand for this. BE very clear and dont leave him with any doubts about what you will do. Tom

I agree with the others you need a bigger gun so when you hit that dog in the toe he dies. I would consider discreetly hunting by baiting them.

Isn't it about time you changed the antifreeze in your tractor?

Being neighborly is one thing but kids and mean dogs don't mix.

I have the very same problem. The only difference is I do not use a rifle I use a 20 gage and I shoot to kill I take a photo of the dead dog and log it date timeand where, and the breed of dog, I even keep the shell.
I do not talk to the man next door because it is wast of time. If I am out side by my self I carry a hand gun. YES it is a pain in the A--, but people like that dont care about there dogs and if then I D---- sure dont. I have shot a lot of them I am not proud of that. Because that dog was some ones pet and I love pets like I do my own kids.
But you have to do what you have to do to protect youself and your family and your investment:
if they are pit-bulls or rottweiler"s fair game.
I am sorry if I sound mad the guy next door to his rottweiler attack"d my wife 1 year ago 150 stiches and he told the sheriff that it was not his, and we new for a fact that it was. it came up missing the next day. I shot it. Well so much for this ok, protect what is your and dont worry about the rest.SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT
JR. Frye

First thing would be to get the vet out to look at the cows and make sure they are ok. 2 give the bill to the neighbor and till him he will buy for it! 3 Tell he if they come back again that they will be shot dead on site, plain and simple! 4 get a good high powered 243 with hallow points, if you hit them they wont get up!! You have done all you need to do, there is no way to keep a pit-bull in once they taste blood!!!! Your family and live stock is worth more then a good for nothing dog and neighbor. If he was a good dog owner there would be no problem to start with. You have the right to defend yourself, family and your property!!!! AIM STRAIT AND BE SAFE Bandit

I'd sue him for injuries to the livestock and get a court order for the seizure and destruction of the dogs. But until then I'd be actively hunting those dogs. Had a neighbor with 2 pits tear up one of my dogs on my grandmothers front porch years ago. They kept them put up for a week and then they were loose again.

First off are you 100% sure they are pit bulls? Sorry but that breed of dog get a bad rap and most are good and will not do as you say they are unless they are raised the wrong way. Sorry but blaming a pit for a problem is not right as a matter of fact the most common dog bite in the U.S. is a German Shepard and that breed has accounted for more dog bites then any other breed. Can you tell I own pits and have never had a bad one and I have horses, goats chicken cats and all and don't have any problems.
That said if a dog attacks your animals yep shoot them on site but be sure they are in fact doing it not some other animals like coyotes

A neighbors dog had a lamb of my daughter's pinned to the ground one time. I ran it off in time and called the cops. One showed up five minutes later with a photo copy of a page in the state law books that said if a dog "worries" livestock the livestock owner can lawfully shoot the dog, and then call the police or dog owner if they want to.

how can you honestly say that most dog bites are from german shepards, I have had them my entire life and never had a problem with em, where did you get your info on them???? it all depends on how the dogs are raised, weather its been beatin or taken care of, i think is what make them act the way that they do.

I've had pretty good luck with a 12 GA with heavy shot like #4 or #2. When the pooch is running like crazy into the darkness the first shot will slow it and the second shot will finish the job. The racket really unsettles the cattle. It's just not a good situation. Jim

get a digital camera document everything have the vet out billed to the person with the dogs, more documentation, and shoot to kill I would beleive you still have the right to protect and defend your livestock and family,might not hurt to chat with a lawyer just to C.Y.A. good luck

What I heard is to take some nice beef, break up a bunch of glass and mix it into the beef. Then put this concoction out where the offending animals will come across it if they come onto your property. They wolf it down and the consequences are certain. This wouldn't work if you have dogs that roam or other, innocent, neighbors have dogs that roam. I don't know that it is legal. It is rather hard on the dog, but the dogs are hard on the livestock, right? Anyway, I once knew a guy who had a somewhat similar situation and that is how he handled it.

Christopher

I think everyone has it covered. You have to protect your family, livestock and yourself. Gun, trap, or whatever.

Had a 20lb tomcat come after my 2 year old one day when we walked in my barn, luckily I was two steps away. Made "kitty skewer" with a steel fence post. Not the most enjoyable thing to do but child or cat, easy decision.

Neighbor walks over when he sees me tossing something in the field. He was pi$$ed. Told him I would expect him to do the same if it was his kid. Said it was his best cat. Told him he was right, it "was" his best cat.

We still get along to this day, believe it or not, 9 years later. Because he knows I would never kill something for no reason.

Rick

Where I grew up, the dog got one freebie, as long as he had not yet don't any lasting harm to the livestock. If he had an animal down, he was shot.

If the dog was spared on the first encounter, his owner was put on notice, and the rule after that was zero tolerance.

Been on both ends of that deal. The very few dogs we ever had get in trouble never ran loose again (several solutions to that, all humane). Those that returned to our place didn't leave after our best attempt at a humane shot. No regrets in either case. That's how it works.

The rules for strays/wanderers harassing pets vary a lot, but most places allow for defense of persons and livestock.

We had a 3, maybe 4 month old pit dumped at the farm. We took her in, named her Ginger, and kept her at the farm until she got to chasing the barn cats.

We brought her to Dallas and put her in with our other 2 dogs (securely fenced yard). Things went well for a while. I kept a large tub of food on the back porch and another in the garage.

I was in the back yard one evening and our older dog got about 5 feet from the tub of food on the back porch. Ginger attacked her and it was vicious. I"ve seen dog fights before, but nothing like this. I don"t know how many times I kicked and hit her hard before I got Ginger to back off.

A few days later, James was in the back and it happened again. That was it. Ginger was gone.

I have no doubt if we had not disposed of her, she would have eventually killed the other dog.

This dog was not mistreated or trained to fight. Like the Dobies 20 or so years ago, they have been bred for fighting and in my opinion they are not a dog to have.

I have had German shepherds and have never seen or heard of one biting someone without good reason.

I don"t think you made that up about German Shepherds and I would be interested in reading the statistics on dog bites as related to breed. If you have that info, please post it.

First off the best thing you can do is shoot on site and make sure you kill them dead inside your fence, gut shot dog limp'n home is going to not be good.

If you can't kill them, dogs hate a hot wire. Is there any way you can put a hot fence up so the dogs have to go trough it to get to the cows? I know it suck to have to do it but you got to do something.

Then, I have been told that if you can find some old furadan and a package of chicken livers will do wanders. Don't know for sure, so don't take my word for it, just somthing some thing some one told me one time.

Dave

Leave tractor with rear tires loaded w/ Glycol outside fence. Seems to be the biggest concern here with loading tires.

All kidding aside, seriously, I've had a similar issue, keep shooting...you've got the law on your side. Dog packs are FROWNED upon here, and rightfully regarded as a community hazard.

To those people who may say that one breed or another bites more than others, it's more about which type, as opposed to which breed, according to this article.

here's the link.
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/Research-Update-Factors-relating-to-dog-bite-injur/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/615182

Research Update: Factors relating to dog bite injuries: Identifying pointers for prevention
Aug 1, 2009
By: Joseph Harari, MS, DVM, DACVS
VETERINARY MEDICINE



Dog bites are one of the most common nonfatal injuries occurring in the United States. Estimated medical costs in 2001 for an estimated 370,000 people who required emergency room treatment after a biting injury was about $100 million.1

In this retrospective study, the traits of biting dogs and characteristics of injured persons and dog owners were examined to identify factors for use in public health prevention activities. The year-long (2002-2003) data were obtained from Animal Control Services in a populous (677,813 residents) Oregon county. During the study period, 47,526 dogs were licensed in the county, and 636 dog bites were reported.

The highest incidence rates for biting dogs were terrier (e.g. pit bull types), working (e.g. rottweilers), herding (e.g. German shepherds), and nonsporting breeds. Sexually intact males and purebreds were also associated high-risk factors. Biting dogs were more likely to live in neighborhoods with an annual median income below the county median of $41,278, and boys between the ages of 5 and 9 had the highest rate of injury.

While the study's authors acknowledge the statistical limitations (inaccurate reporting of bites and licensing data, breed misrepresentation) of their study, they conclude that preventive measures could be formulated by medical, veterinary, and social agencies to reduce human injury from dog bites, especially in disadvantaged communities. The authors also note the responsibility of dog owners in limiting the aggressiveness of their pets, especially around children.

COMMENTARY

The results of this study provide important evidence regarding the identity of dog bite victims and perpetrators as well as geographic location of these attacks. In another study cited by the authors,2 factors contributing to dog bite injury were low-income neighborhoods; large, protective dogs; inadequate fencing and dog control; and communal outdoor activities for children. The results of these two studies are in agreement and should guide animal control agencies to promote steps in reducing the risk of injury to children, especially in low-income neighborhoods. These actions could include increased fencing of yards, neutering of male dogs, and adoption of less aggressive small breeds. It would also be valuable to know the incidence rates of dog bites from specific breeds for two populations closely associated with animals in the workplace: veterinarians and their staff and postal workers. For practitioners, the data in this study will serve as a reminder for caution when handling these types of dogs from such neighborhoods, as well as offer support for recommending neutering of male dogs and adoption of less aggressive dog breeds, especially in families with children.

REFERENCES

1. CDC. Nonfatal dog bite-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments—United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2003;52:605-610.

2. Beck AM, Loring H, Lockwood R. The ecology of dog bite injury in St. Louis, Missouri. Public Health Rep 1975;90:262-267.

Shuler CM, DeBess EE, Lapidus JA, et al. Canine and human factors related to dog bite injuries. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008;232(4):542-546.


Joseph Harari, MS, DVM, DACVS
The information in "Research Updates" was provided by Veterinary Medicine Editorial Advisory Board member Joseph Harari, MS, DVM, DACVS, Veterinary Surgical Specialists, 21 E. Mission Ave., Spokane, WA 99202.

Around our country we have a saying about such things. "SHOOT,SHOVEL & SHUT UP". Three neighbors knew we had a pack of dogs running our herds of cattle. We talked to the sheriff and one morning they started running one of the herds. The owner grabbed gun and his wife called the other two and we got in position as we new the route the pack was going to run. Well those dogs tried to run the gauntlet and none made it. Total score 12.
gitrib

A cat?????

I'm with you on how to handle things.

But a cat????? Is a threat???

--->Paul

never seen a dog i couldn't stop with one shot of vitamin 22

Don't have the stats but if you look it up on the net they are there. Yes to raise a pit you have to do things a bit different but that is the breed. Also did you know the pit like the Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds of dog there is. Romans used them as war dogs back in the time of Christ.. I may self have owned more then 100 of the pits and have only had a problem with one and that was because I tried to bring in one that was older and you can not do that with pits. You have to start them off young with other dogs or not at all

With the argument that there are more german shepard bites than any other breed, keep in mind the number of dogs in that breed. I.E. how popular the breed is. It would be likley that there are more german shepard bites than any other dog, if they outnumber other breeds. What would interest me it a study of dog bited based on the estimated number of dogs in a breed. If german shepards out number pit bulls by a, say, 20 to 1 margin. then more bites by german shepards would be reasonable. what would it be based on a 1 to 1 ratio???

With the argument that there are more german shepard bites than any other breed, keep in mind the number of dogs in that breed. I.E. how popular the breed is. It would be likley that there are more german shepard bites than any other dog, if they outnumber other breeds. What would interest me it a study of dog bited based on the estimated number of dogs in a breed. If german shepards out number pit bulls by a, say, 20 to 1 margin. then more bites by german shepards would be reasonable. what would it be based on a 1 to 1 ratio???

Google it and yes they are top number one the most common dog to bite. BTDT and I will NEVER own a $#^@^ German shepherd and I have the scares on my butt to prove they are in fact a bad dog. I have been bitten by more German Shepard my self then any other dog and have had them cause motorcycle wrecks to me and about a year and a half ago my son. Do the stat look up and they are in fact top bite dog out there. Sorry this one hit home as in the 4 marks I have had since I was 5 years old and they remind me of what a bad dog is. I could go into it but that would be long

I live 1 mile from where a 4 year old child was killed by a Pit Bull 11 years ago.The dog had never given any sign of agressive behavior and was about 3 years old.It was a family pet owned by the family next door to the Child that was killed.Its mother was also injured trying to pull the dog off the child.I at that time was a member of the Rescue Squadron that responded to the 911 call.I cannot describe what i saw that day.It was beyond awful.The despair that the Childs parents and siblings displayed will stay with me forever.No one will ever make me believe a Pit Bulldog can be trusted.Fighting was bred into them when the breed started and they are a walking time bomb just waiting to explode.They should not be allowed to run loose anywhere.Anyone who saw what i saw that day would think as i do about that breed of dog.

Sorry but that id TRUE of any and ALL animals which includes the worse of them all the HUMAN I have owned and still own pits and have had over 100 of them and never ever had a bad one or ever had one go bad on me and have had them for decades. As for the breed it is all the new that makes them bad not the dog as with any animal you never know. Like the guy up the road who got killed by his bull that he owned for years. It was his time and when your time is up does not matter how you go it is just that your number is up and we have X numebr of days to live. Be it dog gun or car we have X number of days to live and we can not say when

In your situation I would have a hard time not going over to the neighbors house and blowing all 7 dogs away and paying the fine. I think you have been more than patient with the situation. I like dogs and cats but if 7 vicious dogs attacked my cows and was being a problem either the dog catcher would take them today or I would just go shoot them in their pen. The owner is an idiot. Unfortunately the world is full of idiots. Who the h@ll needs 7 dogs they can't watch? Man needs to know his limitations.

5.56 mm with a starlight assist scope

12 ga 3" BB or #4 buck Magnum or high powered rifle. .22 will take more than one shot each and they might make it home (not good). Next best thing is 1080 if you can find some.

Remember:
Any breed of dog that packs up with others can/will become a wild animal. Doesn"t matter if it"s a pet Poodle or Great Dane.

As far as your kids go, there are stories in the news every week of people getting attacked by pet dogs and it"s always a bad outcome and with 7 pitbulls running loose you have a serious problem.

Good luck, good hunting and SSS!

KIP, veteran domestic coyote hunter

(quoted from post at 21:41:15 01/19/10) I have the scares on my butt to prove they are in fact a bad dog. I have been bitten by more German Shepard my self then any other dog

Click to expand...

Think after the 1st time, you'da found a different chicken house to rob :roll:

Sorry, had to..............
Pets are a reflection of the owners in most cases........

Dave

Ok for all the Pit Bull lovers out there that hate the truth here are the stats for dog bites.
Also if you happen to watch the TV show Judge Joe Brown he has a chart that he always puts up when doing a dog bite case and Pit Bulls lead the chart, German Shepherds are at number 4.
This was copied from DogBite.org . I pasted it here but you can go read it yourself if you like.
Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period. The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% (16) of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13).


A study by Merritt Clifton, which analyzed serious attacks in the U.S. and Canada between 1982 and 2006, determined that Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, and their mixes were responsible for 74% of attacks studied and 65% of fatalities.[6][7] Another study indicates that pit bulls and their mixes were involved in approximately one third of the reported human dog bite-related fatalities between 1981 and 1992, while Rottweilers were responsible for about half of those fatalities reported between 1993 and 1996.[7]

Here is where you can find the auctual Chart. I copied it here but did not come out right.
http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-study-deaths-maimings.htm

1982-2009 chart:
Breed Bodily harm Child Victims Adult Victims Deaths Maimings
Pit bull terrier 1451 628 499 153 777
Rottweiler 447 257 115 67 244
Wolf hybrid 81 67 4 19 45
Husky 49 32 4 17 13
German Shepherd 79 52 20 9 50
Bullmastiff (presa canario) 48 17 20 8 26
Chow 52 35 14 7 34
Akita 50 34 14 1 41
Dog Bite Chart

I was on the other side of the fence on this about 6 or 7 years ago. My 2 dogs, one a Yellow Lab mix and one a Border Collie mix got out of their pen, somehow. Went to a neighbours and got around their sheep. Ripped the skin on one sheep, neighbor shot both dogs.
Now these 2 dogs were big babys, wouldnt hurt a fly, couldnt beleive they would hurt a sheep but seen the one sheep bleeding. All I can figure is they tried to herd the sheep and never knew what they were doing or they got the pack sense to them out running loose that far away from home.
Well I paid for the vet to fix up the sheep. Was out 2 dogs and had one heart broken daughter.
If these 2 breeds of dogs that are so gental could turn into stock chasing and biting dogs not hard to see other dogs in a pack doing a lot of damage.
I have a German Shepherd now, real nice dog but he has a real good pen for when he is out without me or not in the house. Going to keep a close eye on this one.

Well I googled it and anything I found showed Pit Bulls biting the most of any breed of dog no matter how you slice it up into numbers of dogs to bite ratio.
Or as stated on http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-study-deaths-maimings.htm "Even if the pit bull category was "split three ways," attacks by pit bulls and their closest relatives would still outnumber attacks by any other breed."

reckon i'd wait out one night and take care the problem. Shootem. The neighbor usually doesnt do anything to stop it.

Yes cats can be viscious. One put my son in the hospital for three days. My son and the cat were the best of friends up until one day it decided it did not want to be touched. He suffered some nasty bites but the real problem was the infection that set in afterwards. They are after all just animals.

Had a pack of six dogs go after my two daughters late one evening. All I owned was a single shot 22. Killed four out of the
six because the dogs didn't run. Hit the other two but they got away. Neighbor came running hollering why was I shooting dogs. When I told him he calmed down and walked away. These dogs had all been dumped off by city folks. I have been bit more than once.
Owners always said the same thing. My dog has never bitten anyone. I took the last owner to court because he was not concerned that his dog bit me. I won. Dog was destroyed.

SEVEN PIT BULLS??? Are you kidding me? That's a pack of bloodthirsty animals and a tragedy waiting to happen. If the owner's out of town, go over there and hunt them down and shoot them. End of story. Can't find them? Take a bunch of raw meat laced with poison and put it in his backyard. Again, end of story. As for the Court order: What are you going to do with that when the Pit bulls are latched onto your leg? Wave it in front of their face? Don't waste your time with Court papers OR the Sheriff.

An Emergency room Doctor told me that they see
more people bitten by POODLES than any other
breed!

Randy,....Pitts are a menace to society! All should be killed. They are all ticking time bombs just waiting for a time and a place to go off.
Opition 1,223 semi-auto,2-30 round clips, tape them to each other so a change can be made is short order! The highest power scope Ziess Scope you can afford. Bait the area!! Lock & Load!!
Do Not let any dog make it back across the fence. After 2 hits those dogs will be back, I guarentee it.
Option 2 poison them! you pick from your option.
Option 3, Uhhhh, call me I will tell you this option, I will not type it out. My # is 512-577-3837,
Later,
John A.

Funny then since one of the new net works have it wrong by your chart I.E. One of them not long ago said flat out the German Shepard was top of the list as for dog bites. But of course any body can make a survey say what they want ti to

Ruger Mini 14 with a night scope. You can put a fair amount down range in a hurry. Doesn't matter the breed of dog, light em up.

John A. Hate to tell you this but Pits are on the bottom of the list for attacking people. My neighbor has a Pit Bull and my little Pekingese has kicked his butt several times. But I do agree the ones running loose should be shot on site. The owner should be made to pay for all damage.

Randy, just a few thoughts; Have those dogs ever killed a deer on your property??? The DNR may be VERY interested if they have..... Matter of fact, I would give those guys a call anyway..

How about the other neighbors? Have they had simular problems with this guy?

Sounds like a waste of time talking to your problem neighbor..


A "group effort" may be required to nip this issue,, enough damage has been done.. Time to take action...


In your locality, would it be legal for you to put a bounty on the stray dogs on your property.....?


Your cattle have suffered enough. And for you an your family, the financial and emotional loss are totally uncalled for.

I wish you the BEST

Yes cats can get really mean when they decide to. I saw one wip a german sheperd one day.

Legal action as well.

With you having children involved, you really do not have any options. You have to remove the threat.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
Get it done!!
Steve

once yhey get the taste of blood they won't quit, weather it's a pitt or cur
good luck

Billy, People do not DIE from Pekingese, or other small dog attacks, Well over 90% of the time people DIE from Pit Bull attacks.
John A.

Yes, a cat when it is flying at my 2 year olds face.

Otherwise, if it was only me, the steel toe would have fixed it.

This cat has stood its ground to me more than once before.

Rick

(quoted from post at 18:42:17 01/20/10) Billy, People do not DIE from Pekingese, or other small dog attacks, Well over 90% of the time people DIE from Pit Bull attacks.
John A.

Click to expand...

John, you nailed it.
Comparing pit bull bites to bites from poodles, dachshunds, and any other small dog is nothing but silly.

There have been at least 4 deaths to young children around the Tyler/Longview, TX area in the last 2 years, all done by pit bulls. There has been quite a debate on the subject from both sides, for and against pit bulls.
But some of the ones defending them claim that there are more people bitten by dachunds than pit bulls.

That may be true, but dachsunds, poodles, and others don't viciously try to kill you. It's usually just a warning bite and then they leave you alone. The most damage would probably result in a few bruises and stitches.
A pit bull's bite, though, has a bone crushing force just about unequaled, and they're out to kill you.

And as has been mentioned, bad dogs often reflect their owner's uncaring attitude. As well as the proverbial "[i:49bb79d4df]my dog doesn't bite". [/i:49bb79d4df] :roll:

Ronnie