suburbians vs. rancher

[daleduke17]

Wanna bet? I've seen it, 1 dog, hamstrings the cow then goes for the throat, 1 dead cow in under 90 seconds.

This also touches on another subject which is a major thing with me, urban encroachment, people moving to the "country" because it's the country, but then getting pissy and demanding that farmers who have been on that land for over 100 years change or stop what they're doing because it inconveniences them.

You might want to look up two songs about similar situations. They are Daddy Won't Sell the Farm and International Harvester. Can't remember the artists, but, they produce a good chuckle over urban encroachment.

[pssorens]

Having been involved in the cattle business for my entire life, I'll agree with the others. I'd also like to point out that there is a big difference between a cattle dog guiding a herd and a dog chasing cattle. Only in the movies or case of an extreme screw up are cattle moved at anything more than a serene pace. Putting a cow/steer/heifer/bull in a situation were it is running full out, in addition to the risk of injury causes stress on the cattle. Once or twice, not a big deal. However, in most of the cases I have observed the dog doing the cow chasing will comeback often. Repeat stress on cattle on this type can cause weight loss that can cause a rancher a severe price cut in the worth of his animals

[lordlundar]

To say noting of the choice boils down to shooting the dog or shooting the cow. Why? because it's about the only thing that will stop a cow on the run. Shooting the cow might stop the cow, but it won't stop the problem. Shooting the dog on the other hand will stop the cow (they will stop running if they're not being chased) and it stops the problem.

[Talon]

It's tragic that an innocent dog had to die, fallen on the sword of his owners' stupidity.

I'm an animal lover, and I've never spent any time on a ranch. I also have very little patience for stupidity. I side with the rancher. If anything he should be prosecuting the fools for trespassing on private property. Hell, the malicious side of me thinks the rancher should bill them for the wasted bullet.

[Tanasi]

I've been in this situation. Several years ago a sub-division was built adjoining my farm. My land had been a farm for over 200 years and was in continuous cultivation or pasturage.
At first the new neighbors dogs trespassed and then later harrassed my cattle. I would run the dogs off and try to find their owners to educate them to the current laws regarding pets. Some tried most didn't. I tried animal control but our county AC is a joke and unless I already had the dog caught they wouldn't even bother to come out. So after a few warnings I'd kill the dog and throw it's body in a refuse ditch. I've been taken to court and when I got my chance to talk, I presented evidence that their dog had damaged my calves (pulled the switch off their tail), I had warned them several times both in person and in writting their case was dismissed.
I've lost count of the number of metal NO Trespassing signs I've bought over the years, yet my neighbors still feel the need to just trapise around my farm. I've run some off, I've had some arrested, but my most effective tool has been ill-tempered bull.
City folk, stay in the city, you're not wanted in the country. If you have no respect for other's property then don't expect the same. I have the same sentiments regarding damnyankees.

Just as I was about to click on submit this came to mind. Currently I'm going through physical therapy to strengthen my muscles and whatnot before I have hip-replacement surgery. Now is this the result of old war wounds? Nope. Car wreak? Nope. Construction accident? Nope. Angry wife? Nope. I was trying to seperate a yappy little neighbors dog from a bull calf. The calf being young and not knowing the fiest wasn't a threat was trying to fight the dog and in the process knocked me down and stepped on me. Well guess what happened??? After I throttled the dog, I laid in mud and cow shit for several hours until my kids came home from school and rescued me. I'm still waiting on the get well card from the dogs owner, I wonder if I'll get one this time?

[pssorens]

I've found that the best defense against dogs or trespassers is a Saler ( a french Breed ) cow with her first calf. I've been run out of many a corral and pasture by them. we had a Hereford/ Saler cross named Goggles that was meaner than any bull I've ever dealt with, when she had a calf.

[tabbyblack13]

I was raised in the the Minnesota country side and I agree with the rancher. I can't blame the rancher trying to protect his cattle. Cattle is expensive and time consuming, loosing one could cause a rancher to go under.

My mom had to install the invisible fence system to keep our dogs from chasing the neighbor's cattle. This protected the dogs and the cattle.

[Akasa]

Totally on the rancher's side. Trespassing and dog off leash? Guess what, you asked for it. Its not your land. You shouldn't be there in the first place, then you let your dog out of your sight and it harasses cattle? The cattle are more valuble than your dog.

[Savannah]

I'm with pretty much everyone here. If you need further proof that the dog owners are to blame, look at what one said:

But Bear wasn't trying to hurt the cattle. He was just playing.

In my opinion, as a dog lover and future professional dog trainer, anyone who utters the phrase "he was just playing" or "he was just being friendly" deserves a smack upside the head and eight weeks of dog obedience classes. Those statements are only used by people trying to excuse their dogs' inexcusable behavior.

Furthermore, these people are morons for letting a dog off leash in an unfenced location (let alone the whole trespassing thing). The only dogs I know who are actually trustworthy off leash are competition obedience dogs (and not all of them) or working dogs.

Seeing dogs suffer for their owners' idiocy really makes me mad...

[gremcint]

You know this isn't just a country thing, you'd be expected to control your dog in the city too. In the middle of the suburbs if a dog attacked a neighbours dogs or kids then you'd be in the right to kill the animal there too.