Mums dog just killed neighbors pet rabbit....

Buffet Slayer you're ignoring the dogs motivation.

When a dog, particularly a terrier breed for vermin control like a JR, sees a rabbit their prey instinct kicks in. That's not true when they see humans. When a dog attacks a human it is usually because, rightly or wrongly, they feel threatened by the humans behaviour and instinctively react with violence in what they believe to be defence of their lives.

Very rarely will a dog attack a human without provocation, whether the threat be real or imagined.

The 2 motivations for violent action by a dog are so separate that assuming a dog poses a threat to a human because he's killed a rabbit is like saying a person who shoots game will shoot someone one day...
 
No I accept that.

But the fact remains that the Jack Russell is a notorious breed for being aggressive and bitey when poorly trained/disciplined.

Likewise I have been attacked by a dog simply because I was in a friends house and their dog didn't like me. Now I wasn't being aggressive or threatening in any way but he still went for me. So we get to the question of why the dog was in fear of his life, as you put it? Was he defending his master? Did I look like someone who has harmed him in the past? Who knows. It was out of the ordinary behaviour but that is always the case isnt it? When these things happen invariably the dog owners will say it is out of character and "you must have done something to provoke him!".

Oh and there are many many instances of gun owners going on to shoot/kill people. So that is a bit of a weak argument.

But the overall basis of my point is if the dog is poorly socialised he may well pose a risk to people. I accept that in most instances it boils down to poor ownership/training. But that is of little consolation to the person the dog bites.
Additionally their motivation for attacking can be because of a perceived threat. So essentially what you get is a lottery based on each dogs temperament and mood/mindset.
 
We had a king Charles cavalier as kids. The perfect children's dog. Lovely harmless dog it was got hauled around the garden, put up with all sorts. One day when it was middle age we walked it around a watermill. It saw some ducks in the river and went completely nuts. Never had seen it act like that before ever. You can't remove the instinct.
 
I agree it is in the dogs basic instinct to go for attack for small fluffy animals and you cant really get that away. It doesnt mean the dog cant behave well around humans.
My familys dog is very agressive towards other male dogs and goes for small animals such as rabbits and squirrels. But fighting and killing them is avoided by keeping a hold on the leash. He is good with people and with babies/ small children he knows to avoid and not to go close.
Once in the years we have had him he has bit a human, my sister who annoyed him when she knew he didnt like it at all and kept going. He didnt bite properly just as a warning but my dad threw him out ofc and when he was let inside finally he would not move from the hall for hours after as he was so ashamed of what he did and you could definitely tell how badly he took it that he had done such thing to my sister. But same as humans, dog will bite back if you annoy them enough and my sister has always said it was her fault not the dogs and there is no way we ever would think he is not a safe around humans.
If a dog attacks with no reason at all then that is not a safe one!
 
So we were looking after our friends pet rabbit and 2 little dogs from further down the road entered our garden and tore the shed apart to get in and kill the rabbit. The dogs then got trapped in the run after chewing out of the shed. We contacted the owners as the had a phone number on the collars and they were collected within 30 minutes.
Apart from the dogs killing a much loved pet they have caused quite a bit of damage to the shed and equipment. Are we entitled to get the damage repaired and a replacement pet and bill the owners? They did offer to contribute towards another bunny, but should they foot the total bill? Do the owners have a legal obligation?
 
Alf75 said:
So we were looking after our friends pet rabbit and 2 little dogs from further down the road entered our garden and tore the shed apart to get in and kill the rabbit. The dogs then got trapped in the run after chewing out of the shed. We contacted the owners as the had a phone number on the collars and they were collected within 30 minutes.
Apart from the dogs killing a much loved pet they have caused quite a bit of damage to the shed and equipment. Are we entitled to get the damage repaired and a replacement pet and bill the owners? They did offer to contribute towards another bunny, but should they foot the total bill? Do the owners have a legal obligation?
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Poor rabbit. Yet another set of dog owners who can't control their animals.
 
One of our cats was killed by some morons dog running into our garden - since then I have kept 4ft 3/4" steel bars placed around garden to use if it ever happens again and I see it.
 
DXP55 said:
One of our cats was killed by some morons dog running into our garden - since then I have kept 4ft 3/4" steel bars placed around garden to use if it ever happens again and I see it.
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Had it happen to a couple of friend's cats. I'm no fan of the little turd factories but they don't deserve that. Nothing does.
 
Agree, 2 dogs killed our pet bunnie last night and the owners said “ if you need us to contribute towards another bunnie we don’t mind!

Well would another part paid puppy do it for them if their dog died?
 
Alf75 said:
So we were looking after our friends pet rabbit and 2 little dogs from further down the road entered our garden and tore the shed apart to get in and kill the rabbit. The dogs then got trapped in the run after chewing out of the shed. We contacted the owners as the had a phone number on the collars and they were collected within 30 minutes.
Apart from the dogs killing a much loved pet they have caused quite a bit of damage to the shed and equipment. Are we entitled to get the damage repaired and a replacement pet and bill the owners? They did offer to contribute towards another bunny, but should they foot the total bill? Do the owners have a legal obligation?
Click to expand...

Why are these dogs able to do this? Part of me wishes a couple of bigger dogs couldn’t just “enter” their garden.
 
I would find it very hard to control my actions against the dog owners if that happened to my pet.
I'm an extremely chilled person but that is nasty.
 
Alf75 said:
Agree, 2 dogs killed our pet bunnie last night and the owners said “ if you need us to contribute towards another bunnie we don’t mind!

Well would another part paid puppy do it for them if their dog died?
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Animals are going to animal, thats why the humans need to do their upmost best to curb the chances on both sides... I'm not victim blaming but (lol "but") if a couple of dogs could get in then a fox could also.

Honestly take the issue to the police and claim proper compensation as well. The problem with not reporting is if no-one reports, then there is no record - so if it keeps happening with same owner and dogs... when someone does report they might get away with it again because of no previous.
 
Report it. Councils will take action as this is quite rare and most are quite strict about dangerous/nuisance dogs. I wouldn't let something like that slide, no way. Especially on my own property.

Dogs are required by law to be under control. If the owner can't control it they shouldn't have it.
 
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Pawnless Endgame said:
Mate of mine had 2 guinea pigs in their own cage/run (3" high), random dog jumped in and killed them both. We never found out whose neighbour's dog it was, so owners got off scott free.
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our friend had a staffie, he was a thug so obviously dog became a thug... caught the neighbours dog thru the fence (some how) dragged it into his garden and tore it to bits, he had to collect up all the parts and put them in a bin bag.. he said there was blood and dog everywhere.. even bits og dog in the neighbours garden that had been thrown over the fence!
 
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