Whats the Texas laws concerning neighbors dogs that get into your stuff. Like the Chicken coop etc..? Thanks

charge the animal owner for the damages the dog did. but you must have proof, that their mutt did it. the easiest way is to cut your losses and do what some refer to as SSS Shoot Shovel Shut-up.

+1 on the "SSS"

Use a trail camera, the pics don't lie.

Try and catch the dog(s) in the act and take pictures. Then confront the owner. If unresponsive get the authorities involved. Odds are the county has a leash law (at least Brazoria County does). You could also take them to the Humane Society. SSS is last ditch but if you're going that route don't bring it up and just do it, neighbors can always retaliate. Good luck

Our experience with this is (we raise sheep and poultry in unincorporated Parker County) that EACH COUNTY has it's own rules.

In some, it is the responsibility of the owner(s) of the dogs to control them, and they are held liable for damages if you can demonstrate that you have made a ;reasonable; effort to keep them out. ( of course, reasonable has a slippery definition)

In other counties, it is the responsibility of the landowner TO KEEP THEM OUT ---> and you can be held liable for the damages to the dogs. Johnson County is one such.

You need to check with your county! Check with the sheriff's office.

Get someone else to do the checking the local rules. Preferably someone from across the county because if something "happens" to these beloved mongrels you will be the first person the sheriffs office will check with. One way to CYA, because most likely the sheriffs department won't want to deal with it.

Me and my rancher neighbors have an agreement. All strays are shot on sight, just like a coyote. We look for tags first, then BOOM if no tags.

They attacked you didn't they?

just shoot em

Why does everybody ask this question about dogs?

Use the old "South Park" saying, "IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US!!!!", and scream it at the top of your lungs as your squeezing the trigger.

I'm a big proponent of the SSS method.


Jay

If you are protecting livestock....

I love that version of the 3 S's, not what I am used to but I like it.

If a dog is harming any livestock it is legal to shoot, just be prepared to prove it.

One thing I tried to get campcook to add to her post and she asked me to add it when I got the chance, that in some places, such as down around Canyon Lake, there are signs advising that owners of dogs that are found running loose are subject to a $500.00 per animal I believe.

When we went to Canada in 1996 up thru New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, signs in those Provinces stated that dogs running loose were subject to being shot on sight and the owners fined.

i think people should use a little discrection on the matter. If the dog is killing livestock, etc then it should be shot.ive done this, to some of my dogs in fact. If its a healthy looking dog that could possibly belong to some one then i think it is wise to try and find the owner. like i said earlier in a post, good dogs get lost by good owneers. theis click , bang ideaology is rediculous. im not one bit afraid of PETA and dont really care what they bitch about but let them get a hold of a story where a deer hunter kills family pet. that wont be pretty.
as a "leasor", it doesnt give you the same right as a landowner to play animal control

If it doesn't have a collar on it I might SSS.
If I knew who's dog it was and preferred to keep a good neighbor I might go and talk with them about it first If I knew it was harassing my livestock. But just wandering across a barbwire fence and walking around on the property, I would probably let it be.

Now on our HF we set snares on all the holes we find and the neighbors all know about it.

We get a few strays from time to time that dip head drops off. They don't stick around too long. Either the yotes get 'em or someones' SSS.

I am the SSS King. I live in the country and people from the f*n city think that I should be the one who wants to care for their dog after they can't handle the responsibility. I don't shoot my neighbors dog's but there is no way I can handle all the strays that show up. I couldn't afford to have the vet put them down at $40 a piece.I get several a month and honestly it has made me even calious to my own dogs. It is sad.

My father in law ran lots of sheep years ago. The neighbor had a great dane that he'd caught in the sheep twice. The second time he pulled in at the neighbors house and asked them if they knew where their dog was. They said that it was out back. He told them that it was indeed not out back and that it was running his sheep as they spoke. He followed that by telling them that their dog would be shot if he saw it up there again. The next night the dog perished in the middle of the road amongst the sheep. Happened to be a full moon and there was something about a 3 foot puddle of blood on a white colliche road and kids walking for the bus the next morning and how he had to get out at 2 a.m. in his underwear, load a 200 pound dog and haul it down the road, only to find that at the dump spot it had bounced out and had to be relocated and reloaded. He tells it with such fondness...

Anyway, give them a warning, give the sherriff the same story and if it persists make it the last time...

Sounds like that you have the right to protect your livestock. I posted this query for a friend who is having this problem. He has had this issue and yesterday another neighbor called him to say what dogs were in his chicken coop (right then).

I have one dog that runs free, but don't go far and never runs the livestock or deer - don't have any interest in it whatsoever - and never goes in anyone else's yard. If it did I'd put it in the pen with the other dog...which would run deer and livestock and other crap.

I have told my neighbors to call me immediately if they saw my dog running their livestock or roaming their hunting grounds. I won't tolerate their dogs doing it and don't expect them to put up with my dogs doing it.

And whether a dog looks healthy or not is beside the point. If anyone lets a dog roam free and that dog wants to moleste a hunt or run livestock, the owners need an attitude adjustment...when they get their new dog.