Aim, Fire, Shoot!!!!!!!!!!

[rivermom]

I had such a horrible day yesterday!!! I looked off my deck to see my horse Wild Flower stuck in the barbed wire fence lying there with two dogs on her. One is a Pit Bull, the other is a Chihuauha. In lightening fast speed I drove as fast as I could down the hill to free Wild Flower. The dogs were still there.

After the vet came out and sedated Wild Flower, fixed her wounds, gave shots, and then handed me the bill I told him I was going to personally shoot the dogs myself. These dogs belong to the neighbors right next to Wild Flower's pasture. I've had issues w/ them before making my other horse buck and try to charge me when ever I turn my back to them.

My husband and I talked to one of the dog owners yesterday and we told him flat out, "either you tie up these dogs or we will shoot them now!". We just spent $3000.00 on a horse not to mention $200.00 vet bill and we will not tolerate these dogs running her into the fence again EVER!!!". So, 3 hours later we went down to check on Wild Flower and the dogs were STILL not tied up.

This morning I am calling the sherrif's animal control to come take the dogs away. Once I tell the sherrif that the dogs are vicious they themselves will put down the dogs.

I have nothing against my neighbors, and I am myself a huge animal lover. But the line is crossed when dogs are vicious towards me or my beloved animals.

I felt so helpless yesterday holding my Wild Flower's head in my lap while she was sedated. Thank goodness the vet said that she will heal just fine. He said had one of the puncture wounds gone an inch over into this main artery he would have had to put her down.

[Janet]

Oh Sheryl, how awful. I don't blame or judge you one bit. A responsible pet owner would never let their dogs or any other pet just "run." It's absolutely foolish in my mind.

We have neighbors too that let their dogs run. It upsets me because I can not enjoy riding a bike with my son, or going for walks because the dogs are not friendly. There are a couple that I want to call the Sheriff on myself. If they can not keep them at home in a fence then they should not have them.

Good for you!!!

[rivermom]

Well, just about an hour ago the sherrif and the neighbors landlord came out. The sherrif said he will not take the dogs now but they have an hour to get them tied or locked up. If later today the dogs are still out/loose that the sherrif will issue a ticket for $200.00.

The owner of the place was not thrilled over this entire situation and he could have easily said for us to remove our horse. Being this is his land he owns. It's just been horrible.

Nancy, our neighbor was not even rational and the sherrif had to constantly ask her to shut up and calm down. She was screaming, crying, and about 6 inches from my face screaming at me.

I told her and the sherrif that I have had issues for months dealing with their dogs and I've tried everything in my power to get them to be responsible and due something about the dogs. It's unfortunate it had to come down to getting the law involved.

If eyes could kill I would be dead by Nancy's looks at me. Ohhhhh she is pissed!!

[Mandy]

Oh Sheryl, i'm sorry to hear this!!!! I know you've had trouble in the past with those dogs.... hmmm.... can't keep on with those water balloons either! Well... i think if i were in your shoes, i would have slapped that woman ya know, i don't like it when people enter "my space" and well... she was right in your face hmmm... hmmm.... not very polite!!!

Thank God Wild Flower is OK!! *sigh* we need to think of something here, this CAN'T happen again ever!!

[Janet]

I guess I don't understand....You and your neighbors rent from the same landlord? I thought it was your place... if he is the landlord of both of you, have you talked with him about the dogs? How far away do your neighbors live from you that their dogs keep coming to your place? I guess a little more info is needed, I'm such an airhead at times....LOL

I still think you did the right thing....they should be made to pay your Vet bills also!!!

[rivermom]

Originally Posted by Janet

I guess I don't understand....You and your neighbors rent from the same landlord? I thought it was your place... if he is the landlord of both of you, have you talked with him about the dogs? How far away do your neighbors live from you that their dogs keep coming to your place? I guess a little more info is needed, I'm such an airhead at times....LOL

I still think you did the right thing....they should be made to pay your Vet bills also!!!

Ok, sorry for the confusion. Let me try to explain. My husband and I own the home and land we sit on now. Down the dirt road from us is the neighbors home appx. 300 yards which sits on appx. 25 acres. On this acerage is a section fenced off right behind our neighbors, this is where Wild Flower resides. Wayne is the owner of all that acerage plus the little house that our neighbors rent from.

Wayne is nice enough to let us keep Wild Flower in the pasture right behind our neighbors, free of charge. He knows we want to buy some more land but it's waiting for him to actually sit w/ us to draw up a contract, etc to begin the process. Hell, it took us over a year just to get him to sell us what we have now, ugh.

What my hubby and I probably will end up doing is fencing off an area that sits on our own property for Wild Flower.

Either way, no matter where Wild Flower resides the dogs will still be an issue. Those dogs are constantly in our own yard too. They roam pretty much where ever they want. That is until today.

We have given our neighbors two tieouts, a very nice dog house with bedding in hopes that they see hubby and I trying to be civil.

The Chiuahua was taken across the road to the "real" owners and told they MUST contain the dog or else.

Wayne told the neighbors that rent from him that they MUST get rid of the pit bull. Obviously Wayne is smart enough to realize the legality issues that he faces being he owns the property they rent from.

So...as of now Nancy left for work (she works nights) and her boyfriend went into town to get some more stuff to contain the dogs.

Oh, forgot to tell you all. Being that Nancy got all irate and nasty saying that I am forever imposing on her privacy when I go to see Wild Flower that I now have to stay off the property. I have to enter the pasture way the hell on the other side of the acerage. I swear, this all sucks. But oh well...I am willing to do that. Atleast there is another access to her.

Ok, hope this explained the confusion, hahahaha.

[Janet]

WOW, what you have had to go through!! No wonder you wanted to vent!

What my hubby and I probably will end up doing is fencing off an area that sits on our own property for Wild Flower

.
That will probably be the best thing...that way you don't have to go the long route to get to WildFlower. I'd almost be afraid they would do something to Wildflower....I hope not and that they are not the type to do that.

Wayne told the neighbors that rent from him that they MUST get rid of the pit bull. Obviously Wayne is smart enough to realize the legality issues that he faces being he owns the property they rent from.

Smart man! Pitbulls can be good I guess, but I would never want to take the chance. So many generations of them now that have bad bloodlines in fighting. It's hard to know the good from the bad anymore. Just too scary.

It explained everything just fine. I just hope you can get an area fenced so WildFlower can be closer to you. You did all the right things in my opinion. I hope it doesn't leave WildFlower afraid in any way. What a horrible thing to go through.

[khardy57]

I'm so glad your horse will be all right! I hate pit bulls. I know, I know, I've heard all the stuff about how it's not the dogs it's the owners, but my oldest son had a pit bull several years ago and even though he never did anything out of the way to any of us, I saw him around people he didn't like. I also saw him tear completely thru an exterior door trying to get outside the house to someone he didn't like!

It breaks my heart to think about how scared your poor horse must've been!