Some days are good, and some days are less so.
A farmer went to feed the sheep today, and looked over to the paddock where the pregnant ewes are being kept. There was a dog; a dog from next door, in fact.
In the interests of brevity, we shall gloss over a farmer finding the dead, and the hopelessly mauled dying, and delivering euthanasia. The heads were too many for careful removal for the USDA, so a simple axe was used against a log as chopping block.
With sunset, the count was nine corpses on the ground, out of twenty-nine ewes. More were stumbling or prostrated from fatigue and shock - we expect aborted lambs and deaths from shock. One particularly hard hit one lies on our porch, with hot water bottles and rich feed to try to counteract the shock. The flock at large have received lavish quantities of alfalfa - rich in both proteins and calcium - to help them recover.
In a few days we shall know more.
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Is/was this a known trouble-dog? Do you have a claim against the neighbour?
ReplyDeleteThis was not hitherto known as a dangerous dog, but given the sheriff's deputy's report it soon will be. The deputy took pictures of the corpses, the dog in the field, wool scraps torn off the bodies and so on.
ReplyDeleteLocal law is fairly uncompromising on the topic of dogs running loose or hurting livestock: the owner is fully responsible (and may in fact be cited, with a hefty fine attached). However, we mostly called the deputy so that we might have matters recorded and treated fully above board, rather than for the specific purpose of bringing the power of the law to bear. The deputy's role in this matter is more Peace Officer than anything else.
The farmer who found the dog did not shoot it despite all temptations to the contrary, and it is possible that this act of mercy helped the neighbour decide to accept the costs which will be assessed, both veterinary and compensation for losses.
Given the nature of the circumstances, and the clarity of the evidence, there's no question of where the burden should be placed. We expect that the neighbour will do the honourable thing, despite the costs involved.