Mick Le Tissier with some of the chickens which have been killed by dogs. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0738661)
A PLOT owner has hit out after dogs killed four of his chickens.
Mick Le Tissier, 74 today, keeps more than 60 chickens in a coop on his Castel plot but was woken from his afternoon nap by his sister-in-law to receive the unwelcome birthday news that two dogs had been seen mauling his birds.
‘Mr sister- and brother-in-law live next door to the plot and they saw two Scottish Terriers, one brown and one black, on the plot,’ he said.
‘They saw one of the dogs with a bird in its mouth.’
Mr Le Tissier rushed to the scene to find that three chickens were dead, with another missing.
The pensioner said he was furious that the owners had made no efforts to contact him and own up.
‘I don’t know if the dogs were roaming around on their own or if their owner was with them,’ he said.
‘But if I found one of my dogs with a chicken in its mouth I would try to find the owner to apologise.
Manners cost nothing.’
Mr Le Tissier, who got the chickens a year ago after being told by the Environment Department that he would not be allowed to build on the land, reported the incident to the police.
‘But I might throttle those dogs myself if I find them,’ he said.
‘I’m really angry. Let’s face it, animals in Guernsey are like children – people just don’t control them. I have had many clipped ears from my mother and it never did me any harm.’
Mr Le Tissier, who goes to his plot every morning to clean the coop and collect any eggs laid, went back to the site yesterday afternoon to see if the culprits were regulars in the area.
‘I went down yesterday just to see if maybe it was someone who takes their dogs when they go to pick up their kids from school,’ he said.
‘But there was no one there.’
- Police confirmed the incident had been reported and said it was being investigated.
Article posted on 14th March, 2009 - 9.29am
29 Article Comments
Protect your chickens dogs/foxes love to eat them.
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About time that it was made illegal to have a
dog off the leash in any public place.
Cliffs; paths; the common; beaches all year etc
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Who is this irresponsible dog owner? Hope they find him/her. He needs to be brought to book on this. Apalling.
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saw a fox at icart on friday.
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I’ve been keeping chickens in Torteval for about 17 years and each year I’ve had to deal with at least one dog attack. The usual culprits are untrained family pets out for a walk off lead with their owners. Over the years I’ve caught some of the dogs, held on to them, while listening to the owners calls and whistles, until they turn up at my gate and I can then show them what their dog has done. This tactic has resulted with me being called a liar, verbally abused and once even threatened. Having read recent reports in the GEP about such matters my tactic now is to take the dog, lock it away in my shed, ignore the owners calls and whistles for their lost pet and call the police. They will deal with the matter in accordance with the law.
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Buy a gun & shoot the dog – You should be allowed to kill any vermin that enter & damage your property….
After all – a dog let loose to kill someone elses pets should be classed as vermin – as should the owner….
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Andrew Walker – a regrettable yet inevitable over-reaction to this event. One owner fails to keep their dogs under control, so let’s change the law and punish everyone. A similar analogy would be to impose prohibition because a few people can’t handle their drink and cause trouble.
Mr Le Tissier (and others whose chickens have been killed by dogs) have my sympathy and those that do not control their animals should rightly feel the weight of the law and be obliged to make restitution for the loss. The majority of dog owners who do act responsibly should be left to enjoy their life in peace.
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Paul le P, it’s not just one dog owner though is it?
If it’s not people pets being killed on their own land then it’s dog mess spoiling our lovely parks and cliff walks, little plastic bags of excrement thrown and left dangling in bushes and out of control dogs aggressive dogs terrifying those trying to enjoy Guernsey’s beautiful outdoor spaces peacefully.
I’m not saying that ALL owners are irresponsible, but you must accept that it is more than just the odd one?
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boatman – yes I do accept it’s more than just one, I implied that in my post by extending my sympathies to others who had lost chickens to dogs.
My point still stands – those who don’t control their dogs should feel the force of the law and have to make restitution for any loss. Those who allow their dogs to foul public highways should be prosecuted under current legislation.
The MAJORITY of responsible owners however should not be made to suffer by the irresponsible actions of a few.
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I absolutely agree with Paul Le P, while I have every sympathy with the owner of the chickens, I don’t think all dogs and dog owners should be penalised because of a small minority of irresponsible and selfish people who don’t supervise their dogs adequately.
Nathan, did you really see a fox at Icart?
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You are entitled by law to protect your property using reasonable force.
Certain animals are not classed as property, however if you rely of the chickens for revenue or food then a court would probably look in your favour.
WH Bonney makes a good point, however you need to consider the context a little…
Get a gun and defend your property, however make sure you act with reasonable force (i.e. the dog was going for you as well) and at the time is was on your land; also don’t fire if any other bystanders are in the area as this would be reckless endangerment.
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WH Bonney and andrew walker, what a pair a berks you two are! punish everyone that has a dog as some don’t train and control them properly.why keep them on leads all the time, that would be cruel to the dog. and as for billy threatening to shoot a dog in his garden!unbelievable.
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So what is your solution then Nik??
Are you saying its fair game for dogs to go around killing chickens with no possible recrimination??
The law definately needs tightening in this area, because it seems that this is happening more and more. And IMO only a matter of time before the following scenario……
I know certain farmers with chickens, I also know farmers with guns. How long will it take before dog from irresponsible owner and farner with gun meet??
Methinks until then nothing more will be made of this issue, at which point we will not only have more dead chickens, but a (innocent because it doesnt realise its doing wrong) dead dog also.
Perhaps there needs to be designated “lead free areas” where people can go and take their dog and let it run round, but if a dog is found off-lead anywhere else, then its a crime.
I also think Microchipping should be mandatory to help police this.
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Dogs love bounding around free to run and sniff where they want. It would be a terrible shame if they were kept on a lead at all times.
I wonder if the chicken owners put up some poles with perches on top the dog would only be able to kill one or two before the rest flew to safety.
A discreet sign could warn walkers they are nearing a poultry run and ask them to put their dog on a lead while they are in that area.
p.s. Nathan there are no foxes in Guernsey. You may have seen a foxlike dog.
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Nik – before calling me a berk, I would suggest that you read my comments again & then stick your oar in – rather then make yourself look like a fool!
I am not looking to punish all dogs & or all dog owners, my comment suggested taking action against dogs that entered AND damaged your property…
If a dog owner either keeps the animal on a lead OR has an animal that doesnt kill other peoples pets or damage their property – then they have nothing to worry about do they?!
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Shelia – I see dogs bounding around free to run all the time. Free to run, bark, annoy and bite people that is. Mostly in areas where it is illegal for them to be off the lead at all.
Why should people have to do anything at all to their property to protect it from ignorant and selfish dog owners?
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Sheila posting 1.06pm
“I wonder if the chicken owners put up some poles with perches on top the dog would only be able to kill one or two before the rest flew to safety.”
Nice one Shelia although it’s a little early for April 1st
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Simple solution is keep the chicken penned in/dogs out. Put signs up near the chickens asking people to keep dogs under control. It must be give and take in these situations, you cannot expect a dog to know the difference between someones pet chicken and a wild chicken/bird.
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GsyGal
It’s even more simple than you say.
Trained dogs – off lead
Untrained dogs – on lead
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GsyGal
Why on earth should anyone have to keep there chickens ‘penned in’ ON THEIR OWN LAND??????
I’m a vegetarian but would fully support any farmer that did choose to shoot a dog found in the midst of a killing spree because it’s ignorant owners can’t keep it under control.
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wh bonney
i have re read your comments and stand by mine,
catch the dog on your property and contact the law but if someone takes a gun as you say and shoots someones pet then the ‘#[;’ is gonna hit the fan isn’t it.some dogs may just run around on someone’s property by accident, these things happen, it may not have bothered any other animal, then by your brave gun wielding rules someone may shoot the dog. do that to my dog, who would not hurt a fly and is well trained, and then i will want my revenge on the one with the gun.
and to the man, i don’t know what the answer is but having more areas where you can’t let themn off the lead just punishes the majority which shouldn’t happen. we all live crowded on a little island and we all need to learn to take responsibility for our pets and try to stay out of everyones way. making new rules, laws or pulling the guns out like billy the berking kid wants to do.
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Nik – you fail to miss the point.
1 – The owner of the Chickens suffered a loss and grievance
2 – He is entitled by law to defend his property
3 – The owner of the dog is at fault and should be prosecuted, however there is no come back
4 – If the owner of the dog cannot be traced with reasonable endeavour then it is fair and equitable that the chicken owner should defend his property.
5 – you, Nik, have never in all likelihood suffered as a victim of crime and therefore you should speak from experience rather than pontificate
6 – Nik – if your dog, well trained or not, came onto my land, and killed my livestock (it would be fair to let the dog kill the livestock rather than shoot it in a pre-emptive strike), then I would have no hesitation shooting the dog. If you could not be bothered to look after the dog properly then that is your problem my friend. The reason dogs kill children (mainly German Shepherds and Staffs) is because they are not controlled properly
7 – Dogs are wild animals, full stop. The fact that they are kept as ‘pets’ is neither here nor there. Do you trust a pet pirhana and stick your hand in the tank?
I think you really are one of those do-gooders who always supports the criminal instead of the victim – this man had his stock killed; it is fact.
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Boatman: Well i for one would not want chickens roaming from my neighbours land onto mine, digging up my lawn and fouling everywhere thank you. By ‘penned in’ I did not mean kept in a tiny area with no room to move. I meant a fence around the borders of their property so the Chickens are kept on the owners land.
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Once again Nik – I refer you to my earlier comment…. You keep harping on with your weird & deluded comments, claiming to have read something that no-one else has?!
Not once did I say that a dog should be shot if it entered someones property?!
I would have no problem with that (unless it fouled), I did however say that if a dog entered your property & killed your pets or damaged your property, then it should be treated as vermin & personally, I would shoot it!
If a young family is sat in the garden & the dog enters the property & it mauls a child – it would be destroyed… some people dont have children but raise pets as if they were their own – so whats the difference?
Are we now to say that toddlers shouldnt play outside on private property, just incase a dog owner allows his animal to roam on to private land unleashed?!
I fully understand some dogs are well trained & some dog owners are responsible & only walk their animal with a lead… however some are selfish & dont give a *#$£ about the welfare of other peoples pets or property…
If you have a well trained dog or a dog on a leash, then you have no need to worry – if however you have an untrained animal & you allow it to roam free in & outr of peoples property, then there are consequences…
& dont come the whole ‘its not fair, its not fair to keep them on a lead’ angle with me either cos you would be the first one to cry out if I had a pet bigger then your dog & allowed it to roam on to your land & kill your pet….
It is your selfish attitude that tarnish dog owners with a bad attitude…
& for the record – I own 2 dogs….
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Yes Nik
Its a grey area isnt it, who is the more wrong?
On one hand a pet owner could kill another persons pet to protect their own and on the other hand you have pet owners letting their pets kill other peoples pets thinking that it is okay.
Well somethings got to give. I agree with most in this post that laws need to be tightened around pet ownership.
If the majority of pet owners are indeed responsible then perhaps they can give more thought prior to purchasing a dog and match the exercise requirements to their backyard size and/or personal fitness level. If they do this then no-one would really need to take their dog off the lead when they go off their property.
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I don’t think we need yet more laws, as always I just think the existing ones need enforcing.
For instance one thing that would go a long way towards this would be to actively enforce the existing law that bans dogs from being off the lead in our Parks. This might be the first step in removing the misguided belief that dogs and dog owners have the right to rampage and foul where ever they like.
Me? Just for the record, also own two lovely dogs. Well I think they are, but I think what gets missed sometimes by other dog owners is that some people are terrified of them.
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wh bonney and darren, i bow to your great wisdom, darren you know me already, i am a do -gooder and have never suffered from crime.apologies for having a different opinion to the pair of you. perhaps you should both go to the states as you know so much.
i think the boatman is right, enforce the laws that are there. i guess i just think more of my dog than most people so can become defensive perhaps. i don’t care really, but if anyone has a pretty cocker spaniel in their gun sights think before shooting as there would be consequences.perhaps we’ll all get along in the next life.have wonderful days!
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Why dont we shoot cats then as they are always trespassing, killing birds and defecating?
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This is so simple, if you care about your child, pet, loved animals etc.. you should ensure you do your best to protect them. Evaluate the potential risks and take whatever measures you feel necessary to protect them.
For example, if you lived in a high crime area, would you leave your home unlocked!! If you knew some undesirable persons frequented a route your children took to walk home, would you wait for them to be attacked!! If you own a dog that would run off searching for ‘love’ would you not pen it in to safeguard against it getting run over by a car!! I guess he answer is yes, most responsible people would seek to mitigate any potential disaster.
However, it would appear, that people who own chickens, do nothing to safeguard them against any attack and then put the blame totally on ‘dogs’, who incidentally may have had the same freedom as chickens to roan wherever without the knowledge of the owner.
When did we last hear that some chickens were killed whilst contained within a chicken pen!!
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