Dogs and Good Country Neighbors
If there are people around you who keep livestock, a roaming dog will present a serious problem. A single roaming dog can do horrible damage to poultry, goats, and sheep, killing them outright or ripping them open and leaving them to die slow and agonizing deaths. Often they will kill or maim numerous animals in one attack. Roaming dogs often form into deadly packs, which attack all livestock, including cattle and horses. I have lost many ducks to free roaming dogs, and have had a horse severely injured by a roaming dog pack. Most pet owners are shocked when told that their pet killed livestock, and will usually strenuously deny that their sweet pet is capable of such destruction. But cute as they are, dogs are predators and do horrible damage when roaming free.
In most areas it is perfectly legal to shoot dogs that are harassing livestock, even before they actually kill any livestock. Also, the owner of the dog can be sued for the monetary damage that the dog causes. What cannot be replaced are the sweet dairy goats and other animals of which farmers become very fond, and their loss hurts profoundly.
It is far easier to fence a back yard or kennel area so as to keep your dog home than to expect your neighbors to dog proof their entire farms in an effort to keep your dogs out. While one can add barbed wire an inch or so from the ground to try to deter dogs, it is difficult to fence out dogs completely, as they will dig under fences. New Zealand style electric fences are popular because they shock dogs that try to enter the pasture, but even these are not 100% security against a determined dog or pack which will duck low and dig.
One neighbor who raises cattle uses the SSS ("shoot, shovel, and shut up") method of dog control to deal with the over-population of roaming pet dogs that harass his livestock. This is perfectly legal in our area and is even suggested by the animal control department of our county, which is too over-burdened with dog calls to respond to them all. My neighbor loves dogs and has several as pets, but he does not love finding a calf with its guts hanging out being chased by neighborhood dogs.
Dogs can be wonderful. They are our beloved companions, they play with and protect the
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