Dog attack

[RichmondHens]

I am furious. Came out of my back door earlier this morning to find two dogs (lurcher types) literally ripping their way through my bantams. Body parts and feathers everywhere. No dog owner in sight of course. Dogs ran off when I appeared. I called the Police who came quickly and are driving round the area searching for the dogs but have little hope of finding them. I have been walking round with a wheelbarrow putting parts in the barrow and searching for missing birds. Some have returned, very jittery but whole and I have two severely shocked who have gone to sit in their house. I have 8 definitely dead (1 cock and 7 hens) two who may die of shock and three still missing. I am soooooo mad I am shaking.

[VirginVegGrower]

Oh RH I am so sorry to hear this. It's a shame you couldn't have tempted the dogs to come and grabbed at least one of them. Did they have collars on? Could you see? BY LAW they MUST have collars and ID tags on. Microchipping is not yet law. I would guess they are living not too far away from you across fields somewhere. Maybe ring a local vets and ask if any lurchers are registered with them. Could get you a name to police. I know you're going to be busy right now, but speed could be of the essence in getting you a prosecution, which might at least shake the dog owner's neck and give you some compensation. Although there is no compensation for the loss of your birds really is there. So sorry!

It would appear that there is a lurcher sanctuary in Sheringham. No idea where you are but maybe in a quieter moment, ask for their help...

http://www.lurcher.org/llink/forum/v...d53d6ad378bed7

I've had another thought that these two could have been off lead and with poachers. Any farms around you - check with them. It's amazing what farmers/farmhands can tell you about who has been where and when. Maybe looking for hares/rabbits.

[Feral007]

Oh that's awful! So upsetting for you and the chooks who survived. Really feel for you.

[redser]

That's just terrible. Can't feel any ill will towards an animal doing what an animal does. But the owner should pay heavily for this.

[alldigging]

That's horrific.

[SarzWix]

That's appalling If they belong to someone local, who regularly walks them nearby, you'll need to be prepared for the possibility of them coming back I would think. Might be worth geting in touch with your local paper - most dog-owners would be horrified to think their dogs had done that, so might come forward voluntarily if they saw it in the paper?

[Nicos]

Oh dear- I'm really sorry. That's just awful.
I know how shaken I was when our neighbour's dog tried to catch our gals.

Lurchers come in different colours and sizes- are you able to describe them to the local vets?
Pity you didn't get a photo, but I'm sure you were too shocked/busy saving your chooks to do that...I know I wouldn't have thought about that until after the event.

Good luck with finding the owners.
Fingers crossed the other chooks pull through x

[Nicos]

Might be a good idea to take a piccie of the killed birds as evidence?

[veggiechicken]

So sorry

[RichmondHens]

Thanks peeps. Dogs had collars on and my gut feeling is someone was walking them nearby (our property is bordered on two sides by public footpaths/bridleways) and either lost control or saw what was happening and got them away quickly. Police came promptly when called and have surveyed carnage and agreed with me it's horrible and have the dog van out searching for the dogs but can't promise they will find them. Chicken killing by dogs is apparently not a criminal offence and the most I can hope for is that the dogs are found and the owner is identified which means I can press for compensation either through the courts or outside.

[RichmondHens]

That's appalling If they belong to someone local, who regularly walks them nearby, you'll need to be prepared for the possibility of them coming back I would think. Might be worth geting in touch with your local paper - most dog-owners would be horrified to think their dogs had done that, so might come forward voluntarily if they saw it in the paper?

I'm already composing something to go in the Parish mag.

[Nicos]

It's good to hear the police are supporting you on this.

Are these some of the special breeds you have?

[VirginVegGrower]

Thanks peeps. Dogs had collars on and my gut feeling is someone was walking them nearby (our property is bordered on two sides by public footpaths/bridleways) and either lost control or saw what was happening and got them away quickly. Police came promptly when called and have surveyed carnage and agreed with me it's horrible and have the dog van out searching for the dogs but can't promise they will find them. Chicken killing by dogs is apparently not a criminal offence and the most I can hope for is that the dogs are found and the owner is identified which means I can press for compensation either through the courts or outside.

Quite it becomes a matter of criminal damage. However if neglect can be proven - no ID tag, underweight, escaped or poaching, then it's a different matter. Collars indicate a dog being walked and tagged I agree, but a poacher would still need to walk his dogs on leads to get to the open fields. A lurcher x breed is a regularly abandoned dog, bred with aggression and are known as a poacher's dog. If I'd been walking my dogs and I'd heard all that I would have rushed in. Did you hear any whistling? It's for this reason mine stay on lead unless they're in their own garden...sigh!

[RichmondHens]

No fortunately not, just the motley bantam horde, but in a way these were more special as they were all unique birds that probably can't be replicated. If you lose a pure breed, you can always buy another from a reputable source, but the ones I have created myself are ones in a million. I had some really pretty little crested hens which laid blue eggs all of which were killed and the parent birds are dead too so that's really the end of that line. Shame.

Off out now to walk the fields again looking for the missing birds ......

[Glutton4...]

Oh that's awful news, RH. I hope the birds that are in shock pull through ok.