Dog Owner's Lack of Care Results in Violent Death for two Dogs

Gun Watch ^ | 27 February, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Animal owners are responsible for their animals and the actions of their animals. Dogs are not people. It is much harder for them to understand property lines and property rights. They have to be taught, and often, restrained. When dogs run free of their owners control, their instincts tend to take over, especially if there are more than one of them. Their instinct pushes them to bark at other animals, chase them, bite them, kill them, and eat them. If there is more than one dog, pack instinct kicks in and they bounce off of one another's behavior like little boys playing "I dare you"; with all their instincts pushing them toward making the kill.

This is why virtually all states have laws that allow owners of livestock to protect their animals from the attacks of free roaming dogs. It is the responsibility of the dog owner to restrain their dog or dogs, and it is their fault if they allow their animals to run free where they become a danger to other animals. Dogs act differently away from their owners than they do with their owners.

In Texas, someone was not responsible enough to restrain their dogs. It is reported that they were running loose and attacked Mr. Conatser's calf, in his barn. Mr. Conatser showed remarkable restraint. He did not kill the dogs. He went to considerable trouble to contact the dog owner and to warn them of horrible consequences to their dogs, if the owner did not do as his responsibility required.

Mr. Conatser's warnings went unheeded. He was forced to shoot two dogs. Dogs that were likely fine pets, when they were around their owner and under their control. But the owner failed in his responsibility to his animals, and now they are dead.

Mr. Conatser could not wait for a third or fourth time to intercept the dogs. very likely his calf would have been dead by then. He did what he had to do. A hard thing, forced on him by the irresponsible act of another.

I feel for him.

Mr. Conatser made a mistake. He posted a picture of the dead dogs on Facebook, no doubt out of frustration and anger that an uncaring person had forced this deed on him. It is clear that he did not want to kill the dogs, or he would have done so the first time they attacked his calf.

Mr Conatser is not the one at fault. The person responsible is the one who failed to restrain their dogs. From cbslocal.com:

Family friend Kevin Forester said Conatser found the dogs inside his barn a couple of days earlier, while they were attacking his calf, and recognized them as belonging to his neighbor.

“So he went over to his neighbor’s and told him that his dogs was getting in his barn and attacking his animals, to please ya know keep ‘em at home, put ‘em on a leash, build a fence, do something,” recalled Forester.

The friend says Conatser told him the neighbor didn’t care. We left messages with neighbors in the area, but haven’t heard back.

Here is the relevant Texas statute:

Sec. 822.013. DOGS OR COYOTES THAT ATTACK ANIMALS. (a) A dog or coyote that is attacking, is about to attack, or has recently attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may be killed by:

(1) any person witnessing the attack; or

(2) the attacked animal's owner or a person acting on behalf of the owner if the owner or person has knowledge of the attack.

(b) A person who kills a dog or coyote as provided by this section is not liable for damages to the owner, keeper, or person in control of the dog or coyote.

Dog owners, remember that you are responsible for your animals and their welfare.  They depend on you.  I am a dog person.  I love and understand dogs.  It saddens me when irresponsible owners cause unneeded harm to the animals that depend on them.

Most people understand this and feel sympathy for Mr. Conatser.  But some cannot consider anything more than that Mr. Conatser shot dogs.  The volunteer fire department that Mr. Conatser belongs to has received a lot of emails.  Five out of six are supportive.  But one in six is not.  Mr. Conatser has received death threats from as far as Europe.  Conatser has temporarily withdrawn from the rotation, because of the threats.

Here is a comment from the dailymail.com:

I love animals more than people - however - has anyone ever seen a dog attack farm animals??? Ever seen a dog eat a chicken alive, or worse yet, two dogs attack a cow or calf??? I doubt it, because if you had, you would ASK someone to shoot the dogs - imagine the sound that a normal cow or calf make, now picture two dogs eating that animal from the hoof up, it is horrifying, and NO it isn't like you can run up and shoo away two dogs in the middle of an attack. And yes - labs do attack. These dogs are dead because of the owner that doesn't care if other animals die over his lack of fencing.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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[Darren McCarty]

I love labs. I also know they are hunting dogs and known for very large appetites. They hunt and they eat. That's what they do. The same can be said for golden retrievers, known as the favorite friendly family dog. I've seen many a golden go out hunting, attack, kill a critter, and bring it home all proud of herself. "Look what I got!"

Dog owners need to our the lay of the land and control their dogs. One of the neighbor dogs here used to visit all the time. The dog new us and was excited to see us. Luckily for the owner, we welcomed the dog and walked it home. If I was a farmer with livestock, I may have a different opinion.

[SkyDancer]

I have a border collie and we live on six acres of heavily wooded land - just a half acre where the house is. The rest of the area is dense forest (200sq miles) - anyway, my dog doesn’t wander. Lots of mean critters live in the woods.

[Joe 6-pack]

WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

[RightOnTheBorder]

I understand the sentiment but if animal control even exists out there they would simply take the dogs to the pound. Within 3 days they would have been returned to the owner and back to harassing cattle, or put down at the pound.

[Darren McCarty]

I used to think that about my neighbor’s dogs. The human part is true. Animals? Depends if it’s food.

[Clean_Sweep]

His story is BS, shut the barn door and chase the dogs away, call the cops if necessary. He posted pictures because he was proud of himself for killing someone’s dogs.

[defconw]

That is why she has to stay with us at all times. Mountain lions, coyotes and rattle snakes are around. It’s for her own protection.

[defconw]

Um, out here cattle are in a field. There are no barns. Calves are born in the field, just like deer.

[Organic Panic]

I know exactly when to apply that fine ranch proverb.

[SkyDancer]

No rattlers here but cougars, bears, racoons, coyotes and bobcats.

[aomagrat]

When I was 12 my Grandfather shot my dog for killing chickens. It was a lesson I have not forgotten in 45 years. My dog is always in my fenced yard or on a leash.

[normbal]

This.

[SW6906]

Think about it: Your (expensive) calf is being attacked - terrorized - for the second time by these two dogs. You call animal control and wait the 20? 30? 60? minutes for them to arrive to take care of it? Nope. You handle it yourself to save the calf.

[SW6906]

"His story is BS, shut the barn door and chase the dogs away, call the cops if necessary. He posted pictures because he was proud of himself for killing someone’s dogs."

I love these city folk with their simple solutions based on ZERO understanding of how things work in the real world....

[Hot Tabasco]

Back in the late 70's my parents had a cottage in the woods in northern Michigan and two dogs, a poodle and a big German shepherd that were always outside with family.

Mom and dad were up there one week on vacation when the dogs disappeared. For three days they drove the double track trails and roads looking for them but couldn't find them.

On the evening of the third day, they went into the little one gas station, one bar village to have dinner in the bar. Low and behold, behind the bar were the two dogs.

Evidently, a couple hours before they arrived, the dogs wandered into the village hungry, dirty and tired and the bar owner brought them in since he knew my parents. (couldn't call them because there was no phone in the cabin).

The two must have had a great adventure because both of them had been sprayed by a skunk and the shepherd had a face full of porcupine quills...........We forever referred to that saga as "Poco and Zarek's Great Adventure".

[Malsua]

I love these city folk with their simple solutions based on ZERO understanding of how things work in the real world.

A pack of collared "pet" dogs killed my family's billy goat. We didn't have a gun when we found the goat but had heard the pack and went to check on the goat out in the Orchard. They had basically tore all the skin and muscle meat out of his left rear hind quarters and he was laying there in agony. I would have shot every one of those @#$%ing dogs without a second's remorse.

[SgtHooper]

Growing up on the farm, it was a standing unwritten rule that a single roaming dog could be shot on sight. However, we all typically gave the dog one chance, and word got back to the owner about the roaming. That usually solved it.

Any two or more dogs roaming would be shot on sight. No hard feelings. Period. We all knew the rules and the situation with pack dogs and the destruction they do, whether to our livestock or wild animals.

[trisham]

Too bad for the dogs that their owner was an irresponsible jerk.

**********************

Agreed. We have neighbors who have dogs and no clue as to how to handle them. Not everyone should own a dog.

[curdogmen]

glad to see some common sense come into this....as a long time varmint dog owner who free casts his dogs to catch game. This is one of the first things we have to do as a pup gets older. BREAK a hunting dog off cattle. BUT as human being we just can not shoot any old dog that crosses your farm. Our dogs have to have collars with name address and phone number, most everyone now days uses tracking collars. A hunting dog can not read no trespassing signs. cattle are either crazy or relaxed around dogs. I have seen cattle stampede for just walking with in 100 yards of them. Been chased out of pastures by herds looking for grain. By the way we use Ladner Blackmouth Curs or Kemmmer Stock Mountain Curs for our hunting needs

[SkyDancer]

LOL