OT: Had a bad day yesterday

I just thought I would get a little frustration off my chest by sharing my misfortune (bad day) with you all.

Got a new treadmill on Monday and injured my Achilles tendon on my left foot while trying it out. Got up Tuesday morning and couldn’t hardly walk due to the Achilles heal (I’ve got a Dr’s appointment on Thursday).

As I headed to work, on the way out of my driveway I noticed a couple of dogs in my goat pasture. When I stopped the truck and got out the dogs took off running. I discovered that they had killed half of my goat heard (6 goats, 4 pregnant). I called the neighbor that owned the dogs and he said the dogs were not his but had just taken up at his house and he would feed them occasionally. I called the county sheriffs department and they said they don’t take reports on dead animals and to call the county commissioners office. I called the county commissioners office and they told me they would come and pick the dogs up if they were on my property at the time. When I told them they were not in the pasture at the time; they offered to bring out an animal trap to catch the dogs but I would have to sign a waiver of liability so the dog owner wouldn’t sue them.

I’m not sure which hurts the worst, my Achilles heal, the loss of my goats or the lack of county services I get as a tax paying citizen.

Anyway, thanks for listening. Rick H. Ga.

kevin

Good luck BDK

Kent 1952 8N

Where are you? I live in Dalton. EMail me offline: tduvall@alltel.net

Tommy D.

I do not know what GA law says, but I am pretty certain it is universal throughout the States you have a legal right to exterminate destructive animals after failed attempts to get the owner and/or county officials involved in a remedy.

Civil matters are entirely different. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to take care of matters in the ultimate fashion, keep it very discreet.

Also, stray animal ownership is not defined by title, it is defined by providing care or shelter to a particular animal repeatedly. If your neighbor is feeding and caring for these dogs, he is legally taking on the responsibility of ownership. If he is a friend and good neighbor, he should help you in capturing or destroying of the animals.

Gun play may be fun and satisfying, but is a bit too obvious on smaller tracts. I think some strategically place meatballs spiced with rat poison may be better. However, I would wait for the "smoke to clear", or for these animals to become a nuisance to somebody else, in order to avoid being discovered. Or take them out one at a time.

On the dogs, I agree with most of the others. I wouldn't even bother with the county commissioner where I live. In my area, the usual practice is just to get the rifle or shotgun out. We don't have too much of a problem with dogs since most people know that the cattlemen don't take kindly to that sort of thing. Lately, though, the coyotes have gotten pretty brazen. Had one just stroll casually across my front yard the other day. Don't reckon he will again, though.

Soundguy