Gnome,
I know plenty of screaming/abusing/unruly dog-having <b>native</b> rural dwellers. It ain't just a city thing, and there's a never ending supply of rural freaks, just read the newspapers, LOL!...
April
-
ahughes798
- Cool Member
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:38 pm
- Location: wauconda, IL
-
Garden Spider
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:07 pm
- Location: Western Washington
Hi, I'm new to this forum and I know I'm late to this thread, but I thought I'd like to add my 2 cents worth as a dog owner and lover. My pet peeve is irresponsible dog owners because they are the ones who inspire cities to enact breed-specific legislation, ban even leashed dogs from public parks, beaches, and walking trails.
I have 2 German Shepherds who are spayed and neutered. They are always either inside the house or out in the fenced back yard. If they begin barking excessively, I bring them inside. When we take them out for walks, they are in a 6 ft leash at all times (no Flexi-Leads here!).
Unfortunately, many of my neighbors don't see things the same way. I have walked my well-trained, well-behaved on-leash dogs around the neighborhood, and had dogs run out of an unsecured yard to attack my dogs. I have had to clean dog poo out of my flower beds in the front yard, where my dogs never go.
I would NEVER set poisoned bait out for an animal. It's cruel, and you are just as likely to poison a non-target animal (birds, generally, or opossums or raccoons). It may also be against the law.
My first approach would be to contact the neighbors, and try to arrive at an amicable solution. If they are not willing to keep the dogs confined, or pay for the damage to the garden, the next step depends on the neighbors . . . and what you think their response would be. My choice would be to call animal control with a complaint of loose dogs, and/or neglected dogs. This step carries some risk, if the neighbors decide to retaliate (my mother had a box of tacks emptied into her driveway and carport, following a complaint to animal control on her part). Another option is to talk to other neighbors who are fed up with the loose dogs, and all of you get together and talk to the neighbor. Maybe he/she/they could ignore one person, but 3 or 4 together might make them think a bit. Still no response, then ask everyone in the group to call animal control.
Animal control should be the ones to handle the dogs. We, as civilians, do NOT have the legal authority to deal with someone else's property--which pets are. Anything you or I do on our own may result in legal complications; the only exception (in this state, at least) is for a farmer, who may shoot an animal chasing or harrassing his livestock. Personally, I would rather see an animal go into a shelter, than be left running loose. There are too many ways for a loose dog or cat to die while running loose--cars, legal poisons such as slug bait or antifreeze, toxic chemicals (eg drain cleaner) in garbage are just a few that come to mind. If the owner cares enough to retrieve the dog from the shelter, good. If not, the dog has a chance for adoption with someone who will be responsible. If that doesn't happen, at least the dog will have a humane death, instead of dying of internal injuries from being hit by a car or in convulsions from some poison. There are worse things than euthenasia.
Barb
I have 2 German Shepherds who are spayed and neutered. They are always either inside the house or out in the fenced back yard. If they begin barking excessively, I bring them inside. When we take them out for walks, they are in a 6 ft leash at all times (no Flexi-Leads here!).
Unfortunately, many of my neighbors don't see things the same way. I have walked my well-trained, well-behaved on-leash dogs around the neighborhood, and had dogs run out of an unsecured yard to attack my dogs. I have had to clean dog poo out of my flower beds in the front yard, where my dogs never go.
I would NEVER set poisoned bait out for an animal. It's cruel, and you are just as likely to poison a non-target animal (birds, generally, or opossums or raccoons). It may also be against the law.
My first approach would be to contact the neighbors, and try to arrive at an amicable solution. If they are not willing to keep the dogs confined, or pay for the damage to the garden, the next step depends on the neighbors . . . and what you think their response would be. My choice would be to call animal control with a complaint of loose dogs, and/or neglected dogs. This step carries some risk, if the neighbors decide to retaliate (my mother had a box of tacks emptied into her driveway and carport, following a complaint to animal control on her part). Another option is to talk to other neighbors who are fed up with the loose dogs, and all of you get together and talk to the neighbor. Maybe he/she/they could ignore one person, but 3 or 4 together might make them think a bit. Still no response, then ask everyone in the group to call animal control.
Animal control should be the ones to handle the dogs. We, as civilians, do NOT have the legal authority to deal with someone else's property--which pets are. Anything you or I do on our own may result in legal complications; the only exception (in this state, at least) is for a farmer, who may shoot an animal chasing or harrassing his livestock. Personally, I would rather see an animal go into a shelter, than be left running loose. There are too many ways for a loose dog or cat to die while running loose--cars, legal poisons such as slug bait or antifreeze, toxic chemicals (eg drain cleaner) in garbage are just a few that come to mind. If the owner cares enough to retrieve the dog from the shelter, good. If not, the dog has a chance for adoption with someone who will be responsible. If that doesn't happen, at least the dog will have a humane death, instead of dying of internal injuries from being hit by a car or in convulsions from some poison. There are worse things than euthenasia.
Barb
-
imagardener2
- Senior Member
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:55 am
- Location: Three Rivers, TX
That's all well and good IF the animal control people in your town will do something about it. Ours punch in at 8 and out at 5 (notice I didn't say 'work'). I've called to report packs of dogs and had animal control show up an hour or so later. Think the dogs were still around?Garden Spider wrote:My choice would be to call animal control with a complaint of loose dogs, and/or neglected dogs....Animal control should be the ones to handle the dogs. We, as civilians, do NOT have the legal authority to deal with someone else's property--which pets are.
-
Garden Spider
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:07 pm
- Location: Western Washington
Yes, this is a problem in my county, as well. 20 years ago we had 38 animal control officers . . . today, we have 28, and they are handling more animals and more complaints than ever.imagardener2 wrote:That's all well and good IF the animal control people in your town will do something about it. Ours punch in at 8 and out at 5 (notice I didn't say 'work'). I've called to report packs of dogs and had animal control show up an hour or so later. Think the dogs were still around?Garden Spider wrote:My choice would be to call animal control with a complaint of loose dogs, and/or neglected dogs....Animal control should be the ones to handle the dogs. We, as civilians, do NOT have the legal authority to deal with someone else's property--which pets are.
Yes, they do work regular shifts--8 hours. They punch in at 8 and out at 5. So do I, at my job. Those are my normal, working hours. Working your normal shift is a bad thing???
Animal control anywhere is a hard, thankless job. I've met some of the animal control officers here locally, and in other states. Many of them spend nights in the shelter, beyond their 8 hour shift, to bottle feed kittens and puppies every 2 hours, or to care for an injured or sick. The vet techs at our shelter will respond to a middle of the night medical emergency that a foster parent has with an animal. Animal control officers spend time in court, testifying in animal cruelty cases.
Not all animal control organizations everywhere are as good as our local one. But I would encourage anyone who is dissatisfied with their local animal control to volunteer at the shelter--walk dogs, play with dogs, socialize cats and kittens, bathe and groom the animals. Make a difference. Meet the paid staff. And if a bond levy comes up to support the animal shelter, get out there and vote for it. The only way organizations will change if we, thef public, get involved.
-
imagardener2
- Senior Member
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:55 am
- Location: Three Rivers, TX
I have no problem with working a 'normal' shift, but the operative word here is work, which I didn't use in regard to our animal control ~ and I noted it.Garden Spider wrote:Yes, they do work regular shifts--8 hours. They punch in at 8 and out at 5. So do I, at my job. Those are my normal, working hours. Working your normal shift is a bad thing???imagardener2 wrote:Ours punch in at 8 and out at 5 (notice I didn't say 'work').
Ours doesn't allow volunteers to work there, but I have gotten involved - I called my City Council rep, the City Manager and attended City Council meetings. They all agreed with me, but unfortunately that hasn't changed anything.Garden Spider wrote:But I would encourage anyone who is dissatisfied with their local animal control to volunteer at the shelter--walk dogs, play with dogs, socialize cats and kittens, bathe and groom the animals. Make a difference. Meet the paid staff. And if a bond levy comes up to support the animal shelter, get out there and vote for it. The only way organizations will change if we, thef public, get involved.
-
imagardener2
- Senior Member
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:55 am
- Location: Three Rivers, TX
-
Garden Spider
- Cool Member
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:07 pm
- Location: Western Washington
[/quote]Ours doesn't allow volunteers to work there, but I have gotten involved - I called my City Council rep, the City Manager and attended City Council meetings. They all agreed with me, but unfortunately that hasn't changed anything.[/quote]
Good for you! Sometimes it takes a while to get things going in government. Even if nothing changes, at least you took steps to try. I admire that.
Good for you! Sometimes it takes a while to get things going in government. Even if nothing changes, at least you took steps to try. I admire that.
Poisoning is illegal in most places. However shooting is entirely legal in many areas of the country and done quite frequently here. Stray dogs are kept to a minimum because they are either shot, hauled off by animal control, or hit on the roads.
Late but for the future a good nonlethal quite permanent solution is to use an electric fence. A thin wire and some small fiberglass rods aren't overly noticeable like a large chainlink fence would be and extremely easy to install as well as fairly inexpensive for a small area. It stops even my akita (large japanese gaurd dog) from leaving areas I don't want her to and they are quite known for their ability to escape. She'll even dive right through strands of barb wire ignoring the scrapes. Jump over and dig under mesh fences. But the 2 rows of ankle and knee high thin wire my neighbor uses for his sheep stop her cold. She won't even cross that fenceline when it's off and I pull the wires down flat and step over them myself. Once they get shocked they will not cross that boundary again. You can get small low cost chargers or even battery powered ones for small areas. A larger charger though will be a bigger discouragement. It is painful but does no lasting harm to most animals. Anything with a preexisting heart condition may not handle tangling with a fence that has a large charger but otherwise it's harmless. Ours is designed to cover 4 miles of fence and knocks me to my knees if I don't jerk back fast enough but the dogs, horses, and I never have lasting effects. They won't touch it twice that's for sure.
A slight upgrade if that doesn't work and what we use for our horses is electric tape. Much more visible although it comes in green and brown to blend in and covers a larger area so they can't slip past the wire and it will not cut if something becomes entangled in it like with a thin wire. Carries the same charge. The wire would just be easier to install and nearly invisible so as not to ruin the view around your garden.
Install in an area you keep cut low so nothing grounds the wire. It should only touch the plastic fasteners and then the charger which then hooks to a ground rod. Everything else it comes in contact with will lessen the charge. Will deter cats to some extent too but they can jump it easier than most dogs so 3 or 4 very close together strands might be needed which then does become a visible fenceline around things especially if you go to tape to avoid them slipping the wires.
Late but for the future a good nonlethal quite permanent solution is to use an electric fence. A thin wire and some small fiberglass rods aren't overly noticeable like a large chainlink fence would be and extremely easy to install as well as fairly inexpensive for a small area. It stops even my akita (large japanese gaurd dog) from leaving areas I don't want her to and they are quite known for their ability to escape. She'll even dive right through strands of barb wire ignoring the scrapes. Jump over and dig under mesh fences. But the 2 rows of ankle and knee high thin wire my neighbor uses for his sheep stop her cold. She won't even cross that fenceline when it's off and I pull the wires down flat and step over them myself. Once they get shocked they will not cross that boundary again. You can get small low cost chargers or even battery powered ones for small areas. A larger charger though will be a bigger discouragement. It is painful but does no lasting harm to most animals. Anything with a preexisting heart condition may not handle tangling with a fence that has a large charger but otherwise it's harmless. Ours is designed to cover 4 miles of fence and knocks me to my knees if I don't jerk back fast enough but the dogs, horses, and I never have lasting effects. They won't touch it twice that's for sure.
A slight upgrade if that doesn't work and what we use for our horses is electric tape. Much more visible although it comes in green and brown to blend in and covers a larger area so they can't slip past the wire and it will not cut if something becomes entangled in it like with a thin wire. Carries the same charge. The wire would just be easier to install and nearly invisible so as not to ruin the view around your garden.
Install in an area you keep cut low so nothing grounds the wire. It should only touch the plastic fasteners and then the charger which then hooks to a ground rod. Everything else it comes in contact with will lessen the charge. Will deter cats to some extent too but they can jump it easier than most dogs so 3 or 4 very close together strands might be needed which then does become a visible fenceline around things especially if you go to tape to avoid them slipping the wires.
That is exactly how ours Animal control is around here. In fact them and the Sherriff's department told us to just shoot the dogs if we have repeated problems with them. I have a 22 that I put .22 shotshell in aka rat shot. It's not really powerfuk enough to seriously hurt a medium-large dog, it just hurst enough to send them running, alot of dogs won't come back for quite a while after that. I've only had to kill one dog, he had no collar, and tried to kill my wifes dacshund and snapped at my wife. I've Thinking about getting a paintball gun, I know they sting pretty good when you get hit by them. I think it would hurt the dog less then rat shot but enought to still send them running. Plus paint ball paint washes right off. All of my Neighbors are good about there dogs for the most part. There was a pack of stray dogs around here but my neighbor took care of them after they broke in to his dog pen and raped his dog.imagardener2 wrote:That's all well and good IF the animal control people in your town will do something about it. Ours punch in at 8 and out at 5 (notice I didn't say 'work'). I've called to report packs of dogs and had animal control show up an hour or so later. Think the dogs were still around?Garden Spider wrote:My choice would be to call animal control with a complaint of loose dogs, and/or neglected dogs....Animal control should be the ones to handle the dogs. We, as civilians, do NOT have the legal authority to deal with someone else's property--which pets are.
Return to “Wildlife - Gardening with Local Critters in Mind”