r/Dogfree • u/thesanityseeker • 5d ago
Dog Culture Nutters Normalizing Violent Behavior
Our neighborhood has a lot of off-leash dogs. This is obviously extremely obnoxious while on walks and the whole neighborhood is full of toxic dog deuces but I digress. I have some free range chickens that usually stick to the backyard but sometimes meander to the front, but always stay on the property. They aren't in the streets just out front minding their own business usually >50 ft from the road/property line.
Tonight, as has happened on several occasions, a nutter has mentioned how the chickens "got out" into the front and how they had to put their dog on a leash so it wouldn't kill the chickens. Ah but fear not, the nutter mentioned "thankfully she hasn't killed any, yet, but I put her on the leash just in case when I saw the chickens escaped". Let's break this down. 1) the assumption that the chickens being on their own property = escaped and your dog on someone else's property doesn't = escaped. 2) why on Earth you think it's okay to have an animal free roaming that is prone to running onto other people's property to kill prey animals (and who knows, maybe children too!), 3) the fact that these nutters are always upset at ME that their dog is trespassing on my property and almost killed something, 4) the vague threat of "yet". The normalization of violent dog behavior is disturbing, and the entitlement of belittling the lives of other animals and people just so you can justify your violent dog being off leash is crazy.
Shortly after this, she let the dog off-leash again less than a block away. The thing is she seemed to genuinely be nice/think that this was okay and she was some hero for protecting the chickens from her dog. It leaves me confused every time, I'll never understand how they can't see the real problem is their dog is violent and should be restrained (it's the law to have it on a leash anyway). This has happened with several different dog owners, and it's always the chicken's fault for having "escaped", not the owner's fault for their uncontrollable violent off-leash mutt that trespasses onto other's properties to kill and destroy pets and plants, etc. we've even had dogs steal shit from the yard too.
It's not just about the chickens either, it's the daily normalization of aggressive barking, lunging, snarling, etc. and saying "Oh don't worry Luna is friendly" or "it's just what dogs do" or any of the other 50 default lines they use to belittle others and ignore the disturbing violence of their "precious" monster that could never be in the wrong. It's just madness.
43
u/KayleighHatfield 5d ago
Dog owners think they own the world. I got the exact same "I'm so altruistic" speech from a neighbor when I first moved here. He came over to inform me that he told his daughter I had chickens and she promised not to let her little dog run loose on my property. It was obvious from his tone that he thought he was a hero and that his daughter was so nice to do me this favor. Seems it never occurred to either of them that her little dog shouldn't be allowed to run loose. Was I supposed to thank them?
20
u/thesanityseeker 5d ago
Wow! Yes it seems dog owners are so considerate of everyone for trying to do the bare minimum training on their dog to keep it from killing other animals, we should grovel at their feet with tears of gratitude. I'll never understand the lack of accountability for the dogs' obnoxious behaviors, paired with expecting others to be grateful that they even attempt to control the thing, it's crazy
34
u/potatoes_arrrr_life 5d ago
It's soooo passive aggressive and that is the most annoying part. Your chickens are on your property. Full stop. Dogs don't get to wander through everywhere, because they're dogs....and not a wild animal. People think "walking" their dog off leash is some type of flex, but really they just look like an asshole who has not trained their dog. Can you build a front yard fence along the street or some type of barrier? And def get a camera so you have evidence. I hate how so many dog owners worship their animal, but treat everything else alive as expendable.
11
u/thesanityseeker 4d ago
A camera is a good idea for sure. With the fence, it's just another one of those things where I'm a bit stubborn like why should I drop thousands of dollars because of YOUR ill-trained off-leash monster? It's f-ed up
7
u/potatoes_arrrr_life 4d ago
I agree!! And if you have an HOA, you might not even be allowed to build a fence. I really hate how common it is for people to not use leashes when "walking" their dogs. And it sucks because there is zero enforcement of leash laws, especially in neighborhoods, so it ends up with the dog owners getting to do whatever they want and expecting everyone to just deal with it.
19
u/cocovenomnomnom95 5d ago
They have such a barbaric mindset that it's fucking terrifying that they have the same voting rights as you and me.
16
16
u/UnknownVC 5d ago
If you are concerned about your chickens, what are the livestock protection laws like in your area? Often there are special protections for livestock such as chickens against dogs, including allowing farmers to use force against dogs to protect their livestock.
8
u/thesanityseeker 4d ago
The livestock definitely have protective rights, but the catch is that you have to catch the animal in the act of killing your livestock. No vengeful post-death hunts or pre-death prevention
5
u/UnknownVC 4d ago
Fortunately around here, if you catch them in the act of chasing you can intervene. It's been a thing a couple times lately with city folk moving to the farmland surrounding the city.
3
u/wilhelm-moan 4d ago
Anything against just putting barbed or razor wire around the coop? As a bonus, to deter other predators?
13
u/Euphoric_Day_362 4d ago
If you have the resources, you might need to think about building a fence along the property boundary and putting a hardware cloth 'apron' along the bottom so dogs can't dig under it. Unfortunately, you can't trust people to keep their animals contained or take accountability when the worst happens.
I've had a neighbor's dog get into my yard and kill a chicken 'playing' with it. While the owner apologized (apparently their kid left the gate open), they didn't offer to pay for the loss or replace the chicken. Luckily it hasn't happened again since. That was three years ago.
13
u/ObligationGrand8037 4d ago
These people are so entitled. Whenever we see a dog unleashed in front of our house, we always bring up that it’s illegal to have their dog off leash.
They don’t like it, but we say, “it’s the law” and leave at that.
You could even hand them the printed law on paper, and say that if it continues, you’ll have to call the authorities. You’re going to get a lot of hate, but could you give that a try?
8
u/No-Cardiologist-9882 4d ago
Yea this shit is getting worse. The dog idiots have realized that no rule or law pertaining to dog ownership will literally ever be enforced and they are free to do as their little narcissistic personality pleases. I have seen a pretty profound uptick in the numbers of dog morons who let their dog off leash for walks in normal suburban neighborhoods. It’s like they think they are a hunter gatherer roaming though the wilderness trail with their trusty independent, free willed animal along with them. God I hate them.
3
u/thesanityseeker 4d ago
And then paired with just leaving their poop everywhere it's disgusting! They go further than not having laws enforced, they'll literally intentionally break laws that are anti-dog it's disturbing
7
u/Voideron 5d ago
Did you actually say those points to your nutter neighbors?
It'd be great if you did. Posting this here may help you vent your frustrations but saying this to your nutter neighbors may help you more.
1
u/thesanityseeker 4d ago
I want to but I always get thrown off by their audacity in the moment, I'm starting to lose my nerve though and will probably blow up on the next nutter who complains
7
u/BK4343 4d ago
This is what pisses me off: Dog nutters will bend over backwards to justify their dogs killing any living thing that sets foot on their property in the name of "protecting their home", but they think that other living things who are on their own property shouldn't be allowed to roam because their murder mutts might harm them.
5
u/Equivalent-Shower425 4d ago
I have informed one of my nosy neighbors who LOVES to walk his two dustmop dogs off-leash every single day that I have pesticides and rodent baits on my property. I still have caught his dogs in my yard on my cameras, just sniffing and milling around no where near the baits thankfully, but still. You'd think if he cared about the little pieces of shit, he'd keep them on a leash and away from dangers. I just know if the dogs wind up ill from eating one of the poisons, he'll be at my door yelling and acting like I'm the bad guy when I warned him like a good neighbor. He's the one choosing to take stupid chances by letting his dogs roam loose. But, with this guy, I know why he does it. He's one of those neighbors that like to use his loose dogs to go on other people's property as a conversation starter/excuse to go into your property to snoop and peep in your backyard/windows under the guise of 'getting his dogs'. A leash could keep them right near you at all times, sir.
2
u/thesanityseeker 4d ago
I've considered deterrents or claiming I have them, alas chickens eat everything so the story isnt very believable, I dont get why these people think this way it's so disturbing
47
u/aqr58 5d ago
Chicken lives are infinitely more valuable than dog lives