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Loose dogs

9K views 91 replies 28 participants last post by  bpottorff 
#1 ·
Hey guys I'm in a bit of a odd situation. I own some property in the middle of no where in western Susquehanna county. Dirt road kind of deal. Anyways, I own 16 acres and my next neighbor down originally had one dog he let outside and it would kind of roam but stay close to his house. Keep in mind his house is probably 500 yards from my property so not exactly close. Well now the guy has four dogs and they just roam all over the place including my property and other neighbors. And last bow season sure enough, they were chasing deer that were right near me coming in and then were chased and spooked by this pack of dogs. Now recently my neighbor who doesn't have dogs that lives there year round says these dogs have really been pushing deer out of our area and last year we saw a very minimum amount of deer. Might not be related but still. The guy that owns the dogs knows people are not happy but seems to not care. Bottom line is I will not shoot these dogs or harm them, but what can I do to get this guy to chain them up without him knowing it was me and us becoming not so friendly any more. Thanks for any help, its really concerning me for this season.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I would be up front about it. Man up and go talk to the guy and ask him nicely that he keep his dogs off your property. You don't have to explain yourself to him or complain about the deer. It's your property and he has no right to let his dogs run all over it. I would start by documenting anything you can. Take video of the dogs running loose on your property and/or chasing deer. Set up trail cameras. If the concerns aren't addressed then contact either a dog warden and or PGC. I bet if you have documentation of them chasing deer the PGC will be more interested. No one wants to get into a bad situation with neighbors but unless you talk to the guy and ask nicely first then it's going to be an issue if the dog warden shows up on a "annonymous" tip. You can't "assume" that the guy "knows" people are upset about it. Talk to the person yourself and document everything after that.
 
#4 ·
We have huge problem with dogs down here in NC. A lot of deer hunters that use deer dogs either lose dogs or turn them out if they don't perform. My recommendation would be to contact the animal control agency and they can take it up with the owner....Can't tell you how many I have had to release from coyote traps. No collars, no chip....Down here unfortunately, some guys take it into their own hands....In PA, I don't think the PGC will get involved. Probably local LEO's....
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys. Problem is we literally don't have LEO's. It's all state troopers and I'm sure they won't want to get involved. Yes I could "talk" to the guy and man up. Problem is his own uncle has talked to him and it hasn't helped and his uncle has said in passing, "you know it's legal to shoot dogs if they are chasing deer...". I guess the spca or animal control is my only help. I can try to get them on video chasing deer too to get the GC on board. Just trying to feel out my options for now and see what you guys think. I really appreciate the ideas and opinions. Thanks for the help.
 
#6 ·
Yep, call the dog law warden. I recently had an issue with my neighbors dogs coming into my yard and doing their business. When I hit a big pile of poop with my lawn tractor tire that was it. I warned them before about keeping their dogs on there own side and since they wouldn't I called the local dog warden. She told me to take pictures of the dogs for evidence in case we went to court over it. I have one. She went to their house and told them the next time their dogs got on my side they would get a $100 fine plus court costs. The more it happened the higher the fines. She also told them it didn't matter if it happened 2 weeks or 2 years from now. They haven't talked to me since which I don't really give a hoot. Lol
 
#7 ·
I still think you should go say something yourself first. One of the first things a dog warden or LEO is going to ask you is "Have you talked to the person?". I personally think that it's kind of a D!$* move to call the cops or warden on someone for something pretty minor without first asking the person to stop. Maybe this guy just doesn't give a ---- what his uncle thinks(or maybe Uncle never talked to the guy at all), but will think twice after receiving a second complaint from a non-relative.

Maybe it's just the way I am, but my sort of motto is "I'll ask nicely one time, if that doesn't work then you're fair game"
 
#8 ·
Nothing "minor" about free roaming dogs, when they're taking dumps on your property and especially if they've started running deer?

Common practice in the country, to let dogs roam. Most of the time there are few problems. Sounds like the OP does have a problem. Why waste time trying to point it out to a neighbor, who apparently already knows there is a problem and could care less?

There are state laws on letting dogs run loose. That's why there are local and county dog wardens to deal with roaming dogs and unlicensed dogs.

I had a house for over 25 years, that was on well over an acre piece of ground. People bought the place that joined the far end of my field out back and allowed their large dog to use my property as it wished. Talking to them didn't do a thing. Then they added two more large dogs, all of whom crapped in my field regularly.

My solution: Gather up the products and deposit them on their property, before I mowed the field. Didn't mow through my own dog's stuff, wasn't gonna mow through their dogs' stuff either. One of their kids tripped and fell, landed on a pile of dog stuff I'd deposited between their little pine trees. Problem solved, they finally kept their dog pack on their own property.
 
#9 ·
If they are chasing deer, and you have seen it or can prove it, don’t rule out a call to the Game Commission. It is a pretty serious fine for allowing dogs or harboring dogs that chase deer. It is very serious if the dogs injure or kill a deer. It is also one of the ones where the fine gets higher if it isn’t corrected after the first offense.

Usually when I went and explained the problem and the law to the dog owner the problem was corrected without further incident.

Dick Bodenhorn
 
#10 ·
About 10 years ago my neighbor would take in dogs and at one time cared for 15 dogs. then people would drive by and just drop off dogs at her property and those dogs just ran loose chasing deer. There was a pack of 8 dogs including pit bulls and they chased one of my buddies back up his treestand while bow hunting.

I really don't know what happened but those dogs just disappeared and that lady stopped taken in dogs. Thank God they barked all the time and it was not peaceful while I was hunting.
 
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#11 ·
Talk to the guy. If that don't work call the Dog warden. Don't worry about the guy not liking you if you have to call the warden, he already indicated he don't respect you if he don't take care of the problem after you talk to him. Than there is always the box trapping and self delivery first time to him and second time to the authorities.
Now having said that I don't think 4 dogs would or could keep the deer away from a large area. And if these hounds are that good at chasing deer there is good money to be had down south, no questions asked. Waugh!
 
#16 ·
Guy I worked with years ago, had continual issues with a neighbor's dogs knocking his trash cans over and other problems with them around his place. That neighbor lived hundreds of yards up the road and was his closest neighbor. Rural area, mostly farm country, no local police protection or any sort of township animal control services.

Repeated pleas to that neighbor to keep her dogs under control, only resulted in her screaming at him to get off her property or she'd call PSP.

So, one night his dog barked at the sound of trash cans being rattled outside (he'd started to keep them in a more secure area). He turns outside lights on and sees her large dogs take off thru his back yard. Went out back and touched off a round out over his field behind the house, with a shotgun. Neighbor up the road turns on porch light, comes out and yells that she'd calling PSP.

PSP shows up at his house, neighbor drives down to participate. She accuses him of shooting at her dogs. Trooper had already interviewed her at her place, says "Lady, you told me your dogs never leave your property. So how could he be shooting at your dogs in his back yard, coupla hundred yards down the road?"

:sad:

She told Trooper what she thought of him. Trooper told her the next time there's a roving dog issue, she might get a citation. That pretty much put a stop to rattlin' trash cans and dogs out back, yappin' around his sheep pen.
 
#17 ·
Our neighborhood had an issue for several years but last year elevated to the point of being intolerable. I like good rabbit dog as much as anyone, but 4 to 5 nights a week......2am to 6am with a pair beagles chasing rabbits around the house got to my nerves. No one could get any sleep.


I figured if I'm up.... the owner would be up too. So, at 2 am, I politely knocked on his door. Asked if his dogs were home. "no". I told him he needed to them under control and explained why. They were more than welcome to run rabbits during the day.


That was the end of it. No more beagles running rabbits all night. I think the guy had a dog door and the dogs could come and go whenever they wanted.


My next step would have been to the authorities.
 
#19 ·
All I am going to say on the S.S.S. recommendations is that if you get caught you are probably going to be charged with a serious misdemeanor crime of either the first or second degree. If convicted they will also face restitution and prosecution fees that could very easily extend into the thousands of dollars. Some dogs are valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. Just because a dog shows up on your property is in no means justification to kill or injure it.

Dick Bodenhorn
 
#25 · (Edited)
I would not fire upon a dog simply for coming on my property, but if it showed up and appeared rabid or attempted to harm one of my family members then that dog is going to an early grave. I'll let my attorney argue the case if it gets to that point. Then the dog owner can sit on the stand and explain and justify why his dogs were allowed to roam free, to potentially contract rabies and or go around attacking people and pets.
 
#21 ·
Had the same issue with a long time neighbor. Every governing body has, or has access through the county, a dog law officer. First two time my neighbor was fined. he thought it was cute that the 4 dogs chased him one mile to the end of our dirt road every day he went to work. BUT they hunted their way back. Twice in one year I had two people I never met stop and tell me "my" dogs were running deer. A call to the DLO took care of it, but only for the remainder of that year. Next year they were at it again. He got fined each year, but far from the max permitted under the law. He got rid of his dogs and things were good for about 5 years. Then he got 1 dog ( a female pit). The following fall a stray boxer showed up. and he took it in ( even after I called him and told him not to have anything to do with it). It got the female pit pregnant and she had two pups. Well, it showed the female how to keep slipping her tether. That next summer, she got loose, took her two "pups", and went on a journey. They ended up about a mile and a half up the valley, found their way under a fence at a deer farm, and ran the deer hard until there were 13 dead deer. PSP, PGC, and the DLO got involved. None of the dogs were vaccinated against rabies, and none had licenses.He got nailed for three counts of each of the license and rabies and letting dogs run loose. He got $2400 in fines for those plus a $32,000 restitution judgement for the 13 dead deer. ( oh yeah) the farmer shot all three dogs. I was a State's witness against him. He appealed the case and had all the fines dropped to one count each offense, and had the restitution dropped to $16,000. (County court). He was ordered to pay the fines and restitution through the probation court. Failure to pay ( $500/mo) would result in him being jailed. Well, I've talked to the deer farmer a couple time since then, and was told sometimes he'll send $100/$50/ and occasionally nothing at all. He has not been jailed as was told to us by the DA, and of all things, he's now a prison guard. I'd study hard most of what Marcus99 said, and all of what DennyF said, make the call to the DLO ( your county treasurer will have the contact info if your local govt doesn't)
 
#22 ·
the deer farmer should file a complaint with the DA and have the man jailed for not paying.

S.S.S. isn't really the answer either but it never hurts to be prepared in case they decide to come for you when you are out enjoying the day.
 
#23 ·
The neighbor has very little assets, and if they are going to get anything at all, they would rather keep him out of jail. Certainly NOT the way I would handle it. To add to this, the neighbor is in the National Guard and if he gets thrown in the hoosegow, he'd probably be thrown out of the service dishonorably. The local deer farmer doesn't want it to escalate that far. ( confidentially, I think he had insurance to cover the loss anyhow)
 
#30 ·
You're right. Throwing someone in jail should pretty much be the last resort. They're sure as heck not going to be able to pay if they're locked up (although you may be surprised how quickly some family members will put up the money if it means the person being set free) and lose their job. The best thing to do is to contact the probation officer because they're usually responsible for ensuring that restitution payments are made. The probation office may be able to violate the offender without necessarily having to jail them.

If an insurance company pays out due to a criminal offense they will usually request that the restitution be paid directly to them.
 
#24 ·
For the S.S.S. people here, the dogs are not the problem, the owner is. Shooting the dogs is just penalizing the dog for the owner being a jerk. If the owner doesn't care if the dogs run, he won't care if you shoot them either. He will just go get more dogs.

Deal with the owner. Like was mentioned get pics of poop or the dogs themselves. If they are roaming around that much, it should be very easy to get trail cam pics of them. Make the call. If the owner is ruffling the feathers of the neighbors then the neighbors wouldn't worry about ruffling his feathers.
 
#29 ·
my wife and i were out checking tree stands last year before rifle season. two huge dogs appeared on the other side of the field and started coming our way. one had a collar and was a doberman, the other didnt have a collar and was a mastif.

i know the farmer has ONE dog and its kept at the house, a very small breed. we were at the base of a one man ladder, my wife went up the ladder and carefully into the stand, i had the safety harness on as i was the one who was going to climb the stand and checked the straps and lock. i stayed at the bottom and drew my handgun.

the dogs just casually sauntered off to one side at about 50 yards out and followed the far edge of the field down into the woods. nothing happened and i reported it to the farmer. he doesnt know any "neighbors" that have dogs like that. given the breeds that they were had the dogs kept coming, got close and barked or growled at me and wouldn't go away, those dogs wouldn't be around today...guaranteed.
 
#32 ·
Where are you finding that law? Most municipalities have an ordinance that requires dogs to be leashed within the borough or municipality, but that does not extend to any place outside of that borough or municipality.

I don’t see anything requiring dogs to be leashed in state law. It would be hard to train or hunt with a dog that was on a leash.

There are laws that deal with dogs when they cause or threaten to cause damage or injury to other animals or people but I don’t see anything requiring dogs to be leashed.

Dick Bodenhorn
 
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