If the testimonies of all the folks above dont convince you then maybe it would help to let you know that several state agencies pay cash bounties for feral, cats, dogs, and pigs/hogs. to prevent your household pets from being taken as feral animals the best way is to fence in your yard, keep collars on them at all times and always keep them on a leash when you take them out for a walk (hence the leash-law). carelessness is the only explanation as to how pets become feral. Dumping pets is illegal to my knowledge or should be... letting a dog loose in the wilderness is like dumping a 55 gallon tank (like mine for example) with piranhas into a swimming lake or fishing lake... they will destroy whatever they can get to and are not only devastating to natural flora/fauna but dangerous to the local human population, which is more important by far than someones pet kitty that they lost interest in.
I'm kinda upset about something.
- Thread starter stevekl
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Toren
Member
Here's what my parent's neighbor's uncontrolled Great Pyrenees did to my sister's beloved Border Collie, the sweetest dog you could imagine. Despite the best efforts of the vet, the poor dog didn't make it.
Now my Dad has a simple rule: dogs or cats on the farm that aren't his get a .22 lobotomy on sight.
End of story.
Now my Dad has a simple rule: dogs or cats on the farm that aren't his get a .22 lobotomy on sight.
End of story.
Byron Quick
Moderator In Memoriam
If I see a collared animal on property that I know is not home to that animal, I'll ask around. Most folks in the country who own cats and dogs know the score: collar your animals and control them. Uncollared cats and dogs in the country are not looked upon with favor by anyone who lives in the country and actually uses it for livelihood and recreation. Farmers and hunters do not take kindly to dogs running their livestock even if they don't bite them. It burns off weight/calories which equals dollars out of the farmer's pocket. The hunters who lease his farm for hunting will find exactly one dead fawn before they start the canine eradication program.
Ask birders and wildlife conservationists what they think about domesticated animals,whether collared or uncollared, roaming about in the wild.
You can do what you want on your property and in protection of your family. You might want to do a bit of research on rabies though. An animal can be contagious for quite a while before it starts to display overt symptoms.
Talk with someone who has had to get the rabies series of injections. Ask what they think should be done with strange dogs and cats roaming around. After getting a thorough knowledge of the injection series, ask yourself these questions: Would I rather take the chance that it looks OK but is rabid? Or would I rather shoot the animal?
I shoot feral dogs and cats. Enjoy it? Not at all. Civic duty. I'll warn you to control your roaming collared pets and keep them off of my property. Once.
Ask birders and wildlife conservationists what they think about domesticated animals,whether collared or uncollared, roaming about in the wild.
You can do what you want on your property and in protection of your family. You might want to do a bit of research on rabies though. An animal can be contagious for quite a while before it starts to display overt symptoms.
Talk with someone who has had to get the rabies series of injections. Ask what they think should be done with strange dogs and cats roaming around. After getting a thorough knowledge of the injection series, ask yourself these questions: Would I rather take the chance that it looks OK but is rabid? Or would I rather shoot the animal?
I shoot feral dogs and cats. Enjoy it? Not at all. Civic duty. I'll warn you to control your roaming collared pets and keep them off of my property. Once.
thumbtack
Member
I am a dog and cat lover myself, and I believe a lot of people on this forum are as well. I doubt you will find a post on this forum that discusses killing dogs or cats for no good reason.
Feral cats and dogs can play hell with the local wildlife.. ask Steve Irwin or every wildlife biologist worth his degree. Heck rabbits are a feral animal in the back of beyond.
Now over here, judging what is someone's stray vs. what is a feral dog is a little different. I've only had to shoot a rabid dog once and I hope I never have to do it again. I'm not a rancher, but I hired on for a predator control hunt before, and what we thought was a bad hombre coyote doing damage to sheep stocks turned out to be a pair of feral dogs. (we didn't bag them, the rancher did later).
Wierd thing here, most of our western slope shepards don't carry guns. They rely on thier dogs completely (many are Portugese immigrants).
What we did growing up on the farm was a LOT different than what we do in the suburbs. My dad shot a number of rabid, mangey looking "strays" that had no collars/tags and quite frankly a few times he was reluctant to even move the carcass without getting rubber gloves, a mask and dousing himself with bug spray.
Wierest place to see feral cats: Paris cemetaries. these cats look like pirates.. torn ears one eye, walking with limps etc. They do keep the mouse/rat population down in the cemetaries at Monmarte and Pere La Chaise so the city officials leave them be. I wouldn't recommend petting one though. Those cats live a rough, mean life.
Now over here, judging what is someone's stray vs. what is a feral dog is a little different. I've only had to shoot a rabid dog once and I hope I never have to do it again. I'm not a rancher, but I hired on for a predator control hunt before, and what we thought was a bad hombre coyote doing damage to sheep stocks turned out to be a pair of feral dogs. (we didn't bag them, the rancher did later).
Wierd thing here, most of our western slope shepards don't carry guns. They rely on thier dogs completely (many are Portugese immigrants).
What we did growing up on the farm was a LOT different than what we do in the suburbs. My dad shot a number of rabid, mangey looking "strays" that had no collars/tags and quite frankly a few times he was reluctant to even move the carcass without getting rubber gloves, a mask and dousing himself with bug spray.
Wierest place to see feral cats: Paris cemetaries. these cats look like pirates.. torn ears one eye, walking with limps etc. They do keep the mouse/rat population down in the cemetaries at Monmarte and Pere La Chaise so the city officials leave them be. I wouldn't recommend petting one though. Those cats live a rough, mean life.
mustanger98
Member
I just came from the vet office a little while ago- there was a lady and her young daughter there who had to prolong their vacation here because their two dogs got loose. Why? Because her parents pulled out and left the gate open. One dog got back Tuesday night and the other got back yesterday evening. I told her it was good to know they both got back okay, and doubly so considering how many people around here hate dogs and will poison somebody's pet just because. She said most folks she talked with while she was hunting her dogs were very nice, except for one old grouch that started in on "if they come in my yard I'll shoot 'em". In my opinion, he owns his property and he can do what he wants there, but if somebody's out there making the effort to retrieve a loose and possibly lost pet, then he's way out of line to talk that way to them.
Rabid dogs or strays running deer or livestock, by all means remove them from the equation. But a pet somebody's looking for? Give me a break.
Rabid dogs or strays running deer or livestock, by all means remove them from the equation. But a pet somebody's looking for? Give me a break.
Toren
Member
Yeah, well the neighbor was looking for his Great Pyrenees but that didn't do a damn thing to help Emma.
No more freebies on the Smith farm, sorry about that.
No more freebies on the Smith farm, sorry about that.
ALL cats outdoors are shot on sight unless it is a barn cat. Sorry, but as has been said a dozen times or more they are like a tornado in a trailer park on the wildlife. It is 110% irresponsible to let cats outside unattended other than a couple of barn cats, and barn cat numbers need to be closely controlled or they will damage the surrounding wildlife.
A dog without a collar is shot on sight. If it is wearing a collar it gets a free pass unless it is harming or menacing something. I've seen the aftermath of feral dogs and a prized stud horse worth more than most of our houses, I'll not see it again if there is anything I can do about it.
A dog without a collar is shot on sight. If it is wearing a collar it gets a free pass unless it is harming or menacing something. I've seen the aftermath of feral dogs and a prized stud horse worth more than most of our houses, I'll not see it again if there is anything I can do about it.
mustanger98
Member
Most trouble I personally have seen here with dogs and my horses is a couple of shih tzus from next door coming over barking and wallowing in the manure pile. My horse just ignores 'em and that tears 'em up even worse because he won't run. If they were causing real trouble, I'd shoot 'em, but these are too little and too stupid to be real trouble. And my horses have been known to put a feral hog on the run too.
My word! Now there's a serious reading comprehension problem. How did you read this thread and come away with the idea that "many people around here hate dogs"?
Once you explain that, I'd like you to show me ANY reference to poison anywhere in this thread.
joab
Member
Read his post again, I think you will see that "around here" means his local area
Stand_Watie
Member
Yeah, if you put a brightly colored collar on your pet and he strays, he's a lot more likely to come home alive. Also a pet that looks like it's in good health is a lot less likely to be mistaken for a stray or feral animal. I've heard people say that what they'd really like to do is catch the people who are dumping their unwanted pets in the act and shoot them instead - I don't advocate murder but I can understand their anger with people who commit what is practically the cruelest act that man can commit against animals. I can't say my heart would grieve greatly if we incorporated caning for people caught dumping animals.
The story of the Great Pyrenese doesn't surprise me. They are an incredible dog that a lot of my neighbors keep, and they are hell on coyotes, with an inbred shepherd-guarding instict. I've heard that if you don't have a flock of goats or sheep or something for them to guard they'll go off and adopt a local flock for their own. I can very well imagine a border collie coming home to his own flock of sheep and finding one of the neighbor's Pyrenese "guarding" it, and winding up on the receiving end of it's "protection". This would be very sad for the owners of both animals. A friend of mine keeps them for his goats and when I'm over there he constantly stays between me and them, growling anytime I even look at them. One of the nice things about that breed in regard to where I live is that if a stray or feral one showed up here, I could get rid of it just by making a phone call to someone who wanted one rather than having to shoot it.
mustanger98
Member
joab is correct. "Around here" does mean my local area.
I'd make a comment about a "reading comprehension problem" but I've seen plenty of posts on various boards I had to reread a time or two too.
I'd make a comment about a "reading comprehension problem" but I've seen plenty of posts on various boards I had to reread a time or two too.
Stand_Watie
Member
I had a stray Rottweiler that showed up at my place that I gave away. He seemed like a really nice dog. The guy I gave him to kept him for a couple days, and he chased his horse. The horse kicked him in the head (he told me it didn't even look like much of a kick), and that was the end of that. The dog went and layed down and went to sleep and never woke up. I imagine a horse that wasn't afraid of a barking ????zu would make pretty short work of it. Speaking of equine and canine, some of neighbors keep donkeys too for coyote protection for their goat flocks. Apparently donkeys are ill-tempered, protective and unafraid of coyotes.
Stand_Watie
Member
You have to protect your farm, even if the transgression by the neighbors dog was purely a misunderstanding in the mind of what might have been otherwise a wonderful dog. It attacked your dog on your property, you have the right to deal with it as necessary.
If the neighbor is a reasonable thinking person he may be heartbroke about losing his dog, but he won't hold it against you for protecting your property.
mustanger98
Member
The deal with the rottweiler- I can see that happening.
He could if he wanted to, but from the looks of his attitude at the time, he looked like "why bother". He looked like he thought the dog was just stupid. BTW, the horse is a 16hd SaddlebredX and built heavier than most of this breed. The dog kept about 4' back off his heels and just kept barking and jumping forward and back. Mostly just noise. And the dog's owner was down there about the property line hollerin' at the dog. Come to think of it, I haven't seen those dogs around here since the time they wallowed in the manure pile and then went home.
My great uncle in eastern central Alabama used to have a donkey in with his cows for that. And they have a lot of coyotes around there. When my sister lived just north of Athens GA, she said most everybody who had cows had a donkey or BLM burro in with them. Coyotes are bad around there too.
While I'm thinking of it, one woman my sister used to work with down there fox hunted. Rode to the hounds. Thing about it down there, all the farmers told 'em forget the foxes and chase the coyotes. So they run coyotes like foxes. And this reminds me of Elmer Keith talking about riding wide open chasing down coyotes and shootin' 'em from horseback- he said he had one horse that loved to run coyotes.
He could if he wanted to, but from the looks of his attitude at the time, he looked like "why bother". He looked like he thought the dog was just stupid. BTW, the horse is a 16hd SaddlebredX and built heavier than most of this breed. The dog kept about 4' back off his heels and just kept barking and jumping forward and back. Mostly just noise. And the dog's owner was down there about the property line hollerin' at the dog. Come to think of it, I haven't seen those dogs around here since the time they wallowed in the manure pile and then went home.
My great uncle in eastern central Alabama used to have a donkey in with his cows for that. And they have a lot of coyotes around there. When my sister lived just north of Athens GA, she said most everybody who had cows had a donkey or BLM burro in with them. Coyotes are bad around there too.
While I'm thinking of it, one woman my sister used to work with down there fox hunted. Rode to the hounds. Thing about it down there, all the farmers told 'em forget the foxes and chase the coyotes. So they run coyotes like foxes. And this reminds me of Elmer Keith talking about riding wide open chasing down coyotes and shootin' 'em from horseback- he said he had one horse that loved to run coyotes.
Ok, I'm with you now.
I was really stumped trying to understand how you figured that we were a bunch of dog haters advocating the poisoning of pets!
I guess that means the reading comprehension problem was mine...
Gunrunner
Member
I've only had to shoot two dogs, and I hated doing it both times.
The first instance was 3 ferral dogs chasing our small goat herd back to their barn. I happened to have my 10/22 in hand at that moment and I dropped the lead dog in his tracks. The other two turned tail and ran fast down a hill, never to be seen again.
The second one was a dog that actually broke into a rental house on our ranch. It pushed through a screen window, chased a cat to the other end of the house, and tore it up real bad. The renter was home at the time and managed to grab the dog and throw it out the door, and then he called me. I got my pistol and went looking for it, saw it pacing back and forth near some outbuildings, and when I came up to it I had the feeling it had rabies. It just looked and acted real strange. I dropped that one as well, but didn't like doing so. I'm sure that dog was dumped out in our hills by some SOB who didn't want his pet anymore. (Later the cat died)
There were a lot of times stray dogs would show up at our place, and whenever possible I'd try to find the owner. If I couldn't find them, then animal control got the call to come get them. I keep my dogs under control at home, and I sure wish all the dumb ass dog owners who let their dogs run loose would wake up and do the same.
Cows too are coyote killers, especially a big mama with a newborn. We found a dead yote once in a corner of a pasture by a rock/concrete wall, looked like it had been pulverized, and figured ole Denny (big mama) did it in to protect her young'n.
The first instance was 3 ferral dogs chasing our small goat herd back to their barn. I happened to have my 10/22 in hand at that moment and I dropped the lead dog in his tracks. The other two turned tail and ran fast down a hill, never to be seen again.
The second one was a dog that actually broke into a rental house on our ranch. It pushed through a screen window, chased a cat to the other end of the house, and tore it up real bad. The renter was home at the time and managed to grab the dog and throw it out the door, and then he called me. I got my pistol and went looking for it, saw it pacing back and forth near some outbuildings, and when I came up to it I had the feeling it had rabies. It just looked and acted real strange. I dropped that one as well, but didn't like doing so. I'm sure that dog was dumped out in our hills by some SOB who didn't want his pet anymore. (Later the cat died)
There were a lot of times stray dogs would show up at our place, and whenever possible I'd try to find the owner. If I couldn't find them, then animal control got the call to come get them. I keep my dogs under control at home, and I sure wish all the dumb ass dog owners who let their dogs run loose would wake up and do the same.
Cows too are coyote killers, especially a big mama with a newborn. We found a dead yote once in a corner of a pasture by a rock/concrete wall, looked like it had been pulverized, and figured ole Denny (big mama) did it in to protect her young'n.
Stand_Watie
Member
I don't know anything about their coyote killing abilities, but there are a lot of semi-free range cows in the woods around here where I ocasionally hike, and I've been told by people more knowledgable than me that if I ever have to choose between getting crossways of an ornery bull or getting between a mama and her calf, to choose the bull. I've taken their word for it so far and intend to keep doing the same. The smallest cow I can imagine with a calf might run 6 or 7 hundred pounds and that's about 500 pounds heavier than anything I want to try and stop on the run with pistol, unless I'm way up a tree. Imagine even a tiny (comparitively speaking) 600 pound Jersey cow with a calf vs. a 40 pound coyote or little ol' 175 pound me (shiver). Nahhh. I'm going to avoid that situation whenever possible.
rugerman
Member
When I got out of college my day was a forester for International Paper and we lived in the middle of the property (49,000 acers) people were always dumping unwanted dogs and cats along the road. The dairy farmer down the road lost a bunch of calves to the feral dogs and the quail population really suffered from the cats so we shot all strays on sight. The local sheriff (an old friend) called me one night and asked me to help control the feral dog population near the old city dump (old fashion burn type) because they were killing calves and peoples pets and had run a lady into her house one night (they were running in packs). He sent a deputy and two trusties with me and all the guns and ammo that we needed and he called everyone in the area and told them to lock up their dogs because we were going to shoot every one that we saw. One weekend we killed 70 dogs of all sizes and we only scratched the surface. Several times they were hunting us when we were hunting them. So when people are talking about shooting dogs and cats its not always out of just plain ole meanness lots of times its out of necessity.
mustanger98
Member
I just remembered when I was 13 or 14 there was a pitbull and a chow ran together where my Daddy's parents lived and that property backs up to my Daddy's 1st cousin's property where he runs cows. The pitbull and chow weren't kept up either but Grandpa and everybody else knew where they lived. Everybody down there hated those two dogs. They chased anybody, got after the cows, whatever. I heard more "I'm gonna shoot them..." about those two. I think from what I heard they needed killing too.
myopicmouse
member
Feral cats are the worst animal in the countryside...i see it, i shoot it.
Grayrock
Member
stevekl- have you learned anything yet? When I was a kid, my dog was shot by a rancher because he wandered off with a group of other dogs to go play amidst a flock of sheep. I was upset at the time, but was also old enough to see the rancher's side of the story. Now I make sure my dog does not wander.
Northslope Nimrod
Member
Shooting strays etc
I don't like shooting cats or dogs......but if they become pests...then they are just like a racoon or skunk.....and any farmer worth his salt....would shoot a racoon or skunk on site. My dad has trapped and killed over 100 racoons in the last three years....and several skunks.
Definately, don't shoot your neighbors pet just because it crosses the property line. Call animal control if necessary.....or talk to your neighbor.........If all of that fails........lock and load!
I don't like shooting cats or dogs......but if they become pests...then they are just like a racoon or skunk.....and any farmer worth his salt....would shoot a racoon or skunk on site. My dad has trapped and killed over 100 racoons in the last three years....and several skunks.
Definately, don't shoot your neighbors pet just because it crosses the property line. Call animal control if necessary.....or talk to your neighbor.........If all of that fails........lock and load!
Smoke
Member
Others have given valid reasons. I myself have shot numerous cats that were not wanted on my property, most were feral, but I have little doubt I probably shot someones pet at some point or another.
Dogs often were left that were unwanted. Dumped to fend for themselves or go feral. Most were starved or hit by cars. Few dogs can make the feral transition as well as cats. Neighbor's dogs often chased my cattle. They get one warning shot, if they came back...they died. I have also had to shoot bird dogs lost by hunters that lost control of their dogs, only to have them come up, drawn and starving...If they had a collar, I tried to track down the owners, if not, they were dispatched.
One point that you must understand. Just because I have shot a lot of cats and dogs, does not mean I enjoy it. I don't shoot them for fun or sport. But I don't lose any sleep over the ones I've had to either.
Smoke
Dogs often were left that were unwanted. Dumped to fend for themselves or go feral. Most were starved or hit by cars. Few dogs can make the feral transition as well as cats. Neighbor's dogs often chased my cattle. They get one warning shot, if they came back...they died. I have also had to shoot bird dogs lost by hunters that lost control of their dogs, only to have them come up, drawn and starving...If they had a collar, I tried to track down the owners, if not, they were dispatched.
One point that you must understand. Just because I have shot a lot of cats and dogs, does not mean I enjoy it. I don't shoot them for fun or sport. But I don't lose any sleep over the ones I've had to either.
Smoke
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