Can I legally shoot dogs destroying my animals?

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Can I legally shoot dogs destroying my animals?

In some instances you have a legal right to defend your livestock from attack.

Thursday, 05 July 2007

My neighbour's dogs are persistently chasing and killing my valuable rare breed poultry, and he will not control them. Have I the right to take summary action by shooting them if caught in the act?

A:

A person who shoots a dog is damaging the property of the dog's owner and can be charged with the offence of criminal damage. A conviction could lead to a fine, imprisonment, a compensation order and the revocation of the shotgun certificate and/or firearms certificate of the offender. The moral, therefore, is only to shoot a dog as a last resort.

That said, the owner of livestock, which includes domestic poultry such as yours, has a defence at law to a civil claim for shooting a marauding dog, providing the shooting is really for the protection of the livestock and the police are notified within 48 hours. Also, it is a defence to a criminal damage charge to show you had reasonable excuse, which would apply in your case.

At law, then, you can shoot marauding dogs without being convicted of criminal damage or being sued for damages. Be warned, however: you are likely to stir up such a hornets' nest that you will wish you had never seen the wretched dogs in the first place, let alone killed them.

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Comments

sandra mcneil

Fri, 7th Jan 2011 18:04:07

my dogs got out through someone opening my door they wereshot,the police said there was no damage to the sheep,they were friendly and had on there collars and tags with identification are they allowed to do this in scotland.

Robyn Heap

Mon, 5th Jul 2010 17:35:24

Not all owners of dog's are irresponsible. My two Mastiff's got lost in a snow storm on our land and was shot dead by a spiteful neighbour, who did not report the killings to the Police, hid the bodies and hoped i did not find out. When I was tipped off and confronted this neighbour, he said they had been worrying. YET no dead sheep, no injured animals, no Vet's reports etc. Before you say 'oh he has a right to protect his stock' there is a big difference in protecting your stock and just killing for the hell of it.

kim

Mon, 17th Sep 2007 09:06:23

at the end of the day it is not the dogs fault it is the owner that is at fault if the dogs can be caught and sent to the dog pound it will cost the owner a considerable amount to get his dogs back and might think again before letting his dogs run wild

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