Roming "Pets"...killin' others animals

urednecku

Member
Hope ya'll don't mind me blowin off some steam. :furious:
We've been feedin' a calf for about 6 weeks now, had to sell his mom 'cause she had a bad sore on her jaw that was gettin' worse, not better. Ya know, feed im till he gets big enough to bring a couple more dollars, and give the boys some 'responsibility' feeding him.
Well, I got home about 2:45 this mornin', opened the pickup door, & heard 2 dogs & the calf. They were in the pens tearing the calf up. I shot @ one with the .45, knocked 'im down, the other looked @ me. Couldn't shoot 'cause he was in line with my brothers house, he ran a little ways then stopped & watched me walk toward him. He done that couple times, for about 75 yards or so, he stopped broad-side in the open & was able to kill him. Yea, he had a collar on, but no tag on it.
Back to the other one, he wasn't there. It was dark, had a so-so flash-light, I guess I didn't hit him as good as I thought. I'm hoping he was hit just bad enough he made it home to die, & some-body will file a report about their dog being shot, but I doubt they would. Yea, I filed with the Sheriff, just in case.
Last night it was too dark, & the calf was too upset to see how bad he was hurt. This mornin' I went to look, the damn dogs had tore a BIG chunk outta the inside of his right rear leg....no way it would heal with major money & time, so I had to put him down.
Really pisses me off, somebody's "pet" coming on my place & killing my livestock. :furious::furious:
 

Ron Leard

New member
Wow, i'm really sorry to hear of this. People need to be responsible for their animals and not allow them to run amuck. I don't blame you for being pissed. Maybe you can start asking around and try to find out where the dogs belonged. At the least, u should be reinbursed for your loss. Filling a police report was a good idea too. You may want to consider calling the local animal hospitals and see if anyone brought the dog in for help, may lead you to the owner.....
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Sorry to hear this.

Dogs going after livestock isn't taken lightly in these parts. Farmers don't hesitate to shoot. In every case I know of, the police sided with the farmer.
 

Keifer

Senior Member
Gold Site Supporter
Sorry to hear about your loss. Seems like once dogs start killing like that, they end up doing it for their sport. Same way they kill either farm animals or deer... just can't break them of it. And the more they get chased by farmers or others, the more sneaky they get. A slug to the head seems to be the only way to stop their indiscriminate killing.

Hope you dont have any more 'dog' problems.
 

PBinWA

Member
You did the right thing redneck! Take pictures of the damage to the calf in case the police come knocking.

Some people don't realize how damaging roaming dogs can be. We have some dogs that roam our neighborhood. They are nice dogs and I let them in my fenced yard to play with my dog but I would never let my dog run free.
 

urednecku

Member
Thanks, fellers.
Calling the animal hospitals here for this I don't think would do any good. This type dog, around here, are "a-dime-a-dozen". Most would just put it down & get another one instead of spending much money on one. Some might call the law, (but I doubt it), figuring the dog got in somebodies yard or pasture where it didn't belong.
I did file the report, the deputy looked at the calf so he could "document it in his report", and said he would pass it on to the day shift and Agriculture Division, on the chance somebody did call in.

Something that did surprise me was how the one never really ran, nor did he act in any way aggressive toward me. At least I know I'll never have any more problems outta that one.
 

sandbagger

New member
Sorry for your loss...We have the same problem in my neck of the woods. Only it's more of a coyote issue. My hubby has a scope on a 22 mag rifle that has taken out a couple. Dammit man...always have to look over your shoulder.
 

Erik

Member
that sucks, glad you were able to permanently correct one or both of them of this habit -- sorry you lost the calf.
 

Cowboy

Member
Gold Site Supporter
Sorry to here about that & hope it works out to where you can find who,s responsable . I,ve heard of it before & was told by the local game wardens that in most cases the dogs were owned by hunters that would feed the dogs body parts of there kills , Including the whole legs off of deer .

Not a real smart move IMO . Dogs I,ve seen that get fed like that almost allways end up being trouble & learn to kill for the sport of it , as well as being abused by their owners . Some Guys think thats Cute seeing them drag a whole raw deer leg around . I Dont . :rolleyes:

Nothing wrong with feeding them Meat if its cooked IMO , But once they taste the blood & eat it raw its not long before they know how to find it on their own . Thats when the owner of the dog otta be put down :respect:

We used to have quite a few animals dumped out here that used to cause all kinds of problems & I beleive that to have something to do with being over run with coyotes this year .

I have recentlly found out a female Coyote is able to adjust the size of their litter according to amount of food available in the area . I think thats why I am seeing very few stray dogs, cats as well as squirells & rabbits & lots more coyotes . :tiphat:
 

urednecku

Member
Cowboy, I think you're right....I got the feeling they were 'eating' that calf's rear leg...from the inside where the hide is not as tough. A BIG hole was tore out there, and one ear & nose messed up a bit, like one was holding while the other.............And yea, I'd like to "put down" who-ever taught these dogs that method. I wouldn't have any problem with that.

I've heard there is a kind of donkey (I think it is) that will guard a herd of cattle, sheep or what-ever, can and will kill a dog, coyote or anything else that threatens 'his heard'. It crossed my mind to get one of these for a 'pet'....any body know anything about them?
 

EastTexFrank

Senior Member
Gold Site Supporter
I'm never one to advocate shooting dogs but there is a point where it has to be done.

Some ranchers around here have zero tolerance. They shoot any unfamiliar dog they see on their property. We tend to run a live and let live, pass through policy as long as the strays don't mess with the cows but at this time of year when they are dropping those calves, stray pets can be a real problem. I don't know if it starts off with chasing the little ones because it's fun and then the prey drive kicks in or what. Anyway, once that starts to happen, there's only one thing you can do.

A few years back, the problem around here was that dumped, abandoned dogs were getting together in packs. I've seen about 10 of them surrounding a momma and her calf, trying to cut that calf loose. That's kind of diminished over the past few years, probably because of the increase in the coyotes and hogs. Fixing one problem just seems to beget another.
 

urednecku

Member
Frank, I also try to use the "live and let live, pass through policy" ---- as long as they are not messing with the cattle. Then it's defending my property. I have several smaller calves in the pasture with the herd, but they chose the "easy" target...in a pen & couldn't run.
I'm on a "family" farm, my sister has some dogs that run sometimes, but don't bother the cattle. At first I thought it might have been her dogs, but as soon as I saw the blood it did not matter, the .45 I carry made a noise. I don't care WHOSE dog it is then.
 

Erik

Member
llama will kill dogs.
so will most Donkeys (not mules)
shetland pony's are poison mean to invaders as well.
OTOH, you could always get a Great Pyr - something the boys can play with that will shred any invading canid - domestic or coy.
 

bordercollie

Gold Site Supporter
Gold Site Supporter
Yes, some dogs will attack calves or kill an entire flock of chickens. Two met their end here when they decided to take a sun bath after maiming and killing our tame chickens just for the fun of it. They only tortured them. Now I have an electric net fence around them. We have no problems defending our calves neither. Coyotes, dogs or anything attacking will get the lead treatment. I understand donkeys will protect a herd but we don't have them because of the collies. Our pups herd the cows at our direction and then come in the house at night.They would get stolen if on their own at nite as they can take the place of a hired hand...... I am sorry to hear about the calf- that just makes my blood boil. Keeping the lead handy.. Bordercollie
 

urednecku

Member
Thanks, fellows. I do keep the lead handy, and will be less tolerant of 'stray' dogs now than in the past. This is the first real problem we've had, so far. I don't plan to let it get any worse....I'm about to load the wife with a supply of 00, too, for those times I'm not around.
 
I don't know about donkeys, but there is a note somewhere on the web about a couple that were riding a mule with a couple of dogs in tow.

They came up on a cougar. They both slid off the mule, she had a camera and started snapping. The cougar went for the dogs and that mule caught it by the tail as it went by and flung it sensless against the ground then stomped it. One dead mountain lion. Who would have thought.
 

Toyboy

New member
Wild or feral pets are a problem for everyone. One minute there a mans best friend, the next they are your worst nightmare. Coyotes are blamed the most and take the brunt of retaliation because no one believes their "Fido" would do something like that.
 

Red Beard

Member
We've got dog and coyote problems around here also. Can't have any opossums or raccoons around because of the diseases they carry. Sometimes I get feeling pretty guilty about shooting so many critters, even the neighbors, but if I don't we wouldn't be in business long. I do have the live and let live thing for the locals, but it's one strike and your out. I have three donkeys and they live to beat up dogs! They are really fun to watch work! The young ones will chase and the old will just turn their hind ends and bait the dogs, the end result is always brutal, but fun to watch! Way up in the air and dance on them when they land! The donkeys really love it, gives them entertainment and a rewarding job well done! I only wish they would stop picking on my german shepard. More than once I've found him backed into the corner of the back steps whimpering to be let in with them nuzzeling and nibbling, just messing with him. We've got cattle fence around our yard also (the lawn mowing thing).
 

justadawg

New member
Yes, some dogs will attack calves or kill an entire flock of chickens. Two met their end here when they decided to take a sun bath after maiming and killing our tame chickens just for the fun of it. They only tortured them. Now I have an electric net fence around them. We have no problems defending our calves neither. Coyotes, dogs or anything attacking will get the lead treatment. I understand donkeys will protect a herd but we don't have them because of the collies. Our pups herd the cows at our direction and then come in the house at night.They would get stolen if on their own at nite as they can take the place of a hired hand...... I am sorry to hear about the calf- that just makes my blood boil. Keeping the lead handy.. Bordercollie

i have 2 great pryenese ,,they will protect my goats and calves,keep stray dogs and coyotes from my herd,,,also they will learn not to harm my border collies,,great preyenese kseems to know its ok for my border collies to herd my livestock,,but i am always with them when herding,,not to sure what would happen if collies was out in pasture without me,,these great pry. dogs was best addition to my farm,i used to lose 6 to 10 goats and couple calves a year before i got pry. now in 4 years i have not lost a single animal due to attacks,,last winter 2 pit bulls got into my pasture ,,the pry.defended my herd,the noise and fighting was enough to wake me up at 2 am,,i went outside,shot both pits,,my pry had blood all over them,i took to vet,vet checked them out,not serious wounds was mostly blood from pits,,but cause of their white hair ,the blood seemed worst than what it was,,how ever when daylight came the sheriff was called,i showed him the pits,, sheriff told me he was looking for these 2 dogs for 2 weeks,they was a nuisance and a put down order was out on pits,,the sheriff contacted the owner of pits,and was required to pay my vet bill for my dogs,,, i highly recommend great pry. for any livestock protection,,they eat very little for a dog of their size,, just remember they are working dogs not pets,,do not make them pets,,
 

EastTexFrank

Senior Member
Gold Site Supporter
i highly recommend great pry. for any livestock protection,,they eat very little for a dog of their size,, just remember they are working dogs not pets,,do not make them pets,,

I have a friend who would agree with you. He had 3 Pyrenese (1 male & 2 Females) to guard his goats. They were so protective of those darned goats that it got where he couldn't drive out in to the pasture to feed them. The male especially wouldn't let him get out of his truck. The females weren't too bad but he had to shoot the male.

Another guy here gave his wife a Pyr puppy as a present. He traveled quite a bit and was gone from home a lot. That dog, as it grew and matured, bonded so closely with his wife that when he came home he couldn't get in the house. Once his wife let him in it was OK unless he put his arm round her or showed some other affection and then all hell was likely to break loose. After the third time it bit him he got rid of it and taught his wife to shoot instead. :2gunsfiring_v1:

They're great dogs but they were bred for a purpose. As long as you realize that, it'll be just fine.
 
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