Dog Attack.

[Hilary B]

If carpet-gripper is illegal, I'm sure electric fence is. You can get a plastic version of carpet-gripper-like stuff especially for putting on fence tops. That IS perfectly legal!

[Hilary B]

So whose hens, rabbits, cats etc are going to be used as 'bait' for when the dog is being 'trained?'

The point I was making is that when people say "he's done it once he'll do it again' they are usually implying that it's BECAUSE he's done it once that he will do it again. This is emphatically not the case. Thee is no such thing as an utterly foolproof dog!

[tamsin]

If carpet-gripper is illegal, I'm sure electric fence is. You can get a plastic version of carpet-gripper-like stuff especially for putting on fence tops. That IS perfectly legal!

Carpet gripper is illegal because it causes physical injury. An electric fence doesn't - just a shock that acts as a deterrent.

What legal responsibility is that then ? When I was concerned about 2 vicious dogs persistently getting into my garden the old bill were completely uninterested unless and until an attack and injury to a person had occurred.

It is an offence to allow a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place or in a private place where it is not allowed to be.
Dangerous dogs « Defra

You'd probably have more luck with the council animal control officer/warden than the police. As you say, the police don't generally want to get involved unless there is an injury. The council on the other hand can issue enforcement notices. Also, if the dog is not in the owners garden, it is a stray and can handed in/picked up by the dog warden - the owner then has to pay a fine to claim it.

[Nicos]

Just a thought....would the owner be prepared to muzzle his dog whilst it's running free- that'd be and easy option for now???

Sorry to hear about your loss- when I first had my chooks they free ranged and one day my neighbour's dog ( a terrier) chased them- one of the cockerels acted as a decoy ( possibly by default) whist the others flew back to their coop.

I did manage to scare off the dog by throwing gravel at it and growling at it .
I think I was very lucky as my chooks weren't clipped so they could fly away- and that neither I nor my chooks were harmed.

We soon got an electric fence .

No eggs though for a few days and they were all very, very quiet.

Hope yours recover soon x

[polo]

HI everyone, Now I've slept on it I'm really, really annoyed that such a horrific thing that could have been avoided actually happened

Thanks for the info and links, I will read up for when I speak to the neighbours daughter. I have decided I was too lenient yesterday and from today I will be asking that if they cannot guarantee he will be recalled then I want him muzzled while he is here (thanks Nicos) As they are decent neighbours I'm sure they will want to do everything they can and I think they will agree to this.

I was also thinking about the electric fence but to be honest, unless it was a mesh type I don't think it would have stopped the dog, it was going some get the hens.At least the run is secure and I'm happy it will keep the dog out.

Feather, you are obviously passionate about this and thanks for your comments ( and everyone else too). The foxes do not come out around here - lots at night but never in the day so I feel relatively confident to let them out in the garden. (I'm touching wood as I say this ) I have checked out the fence though where the dog came over and will be extending it to make it more difficult.

Nicos - I had two eggs in my hand when it happened and I threw them! Not the most effective missile but I felt better! I have to say, I'm glad I don't clip their wings, I never will after yesterday either. It gave them a fighting chance.

Hope you all had a good day x

[polo]

Just read this on the link Feather

"If your dog injures another person’s animal, or an owner of an animal reasonably believes that they could beinjured if they intervened to protect theiranimal from your dog, then an offence maybe committed.
If you do not keep your dog under control, your dog could be destroyed and you could be banned from keeping a dog."

Good reason for her to control it!

[SarzWix]

polo, I'm really sorry this has happened to you and your hens. But, as you've said the neighbours are willing to solve the problem, and, they couldn't possibly have known before it happened that it was likely to happen, can we please keep discussions reasonable? And, family-forum-friendly? Thanks

[RichmondHens]

Sorry to hear the bad news Polo. Dogs out of control really make me spit. We had two come into our garden last week, break into my daughter's rabbit hutch and kill the rabbit. No owner in sight, Turned out they had "escaped" from their kennel/run. Police got involved etc etc. Also had an e mail recently from a customer who bought some hens from me in the autumn - a dog recently killed one of them while they were out free ranging. Apparently owner was with it but it ignored all attempts to call it off. Grrrrrrr.

[petal]

theres an interesting thread re dog attacks on the practical poultry forum i recommend you read - many, many people have had to sort out this type of situation and reading about the legalities certainly gives you the strength to deal with people who are ignorant to their responsibilities.