Durango woman’s dog shot, killed after attacking chickens

COLORADO - Dogs often are called man’s best friend and seen as an integral part of some families. But others see them as nuisances and a problem around livestock.

Local resident Devon Pollack learned that the hard way when her dog, Bula, was shot after he attacked and killed at least two chickens on a man’s property during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Devon Pollack’s dog, Bula, was shot after killing at least two
 chickens. The two are seen here in Pollack’s car.

Pollack left Bula in a friend’s care when she went to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with her family. She used to take Bula with her to Michigan when she lived on the Front Range, but she has stayed in Durango the last two years because she didn’t want to leave Bula, whom she called family, at home or pay the hundreds of dollars it would cost to fly him.

“This was the first time I went back to Michigan without my dog,” Pollack said. “I wish I would have paid the extra fees to take him home with me.”

There isn’t a fence around the yard of the friend’s home, so Pollack bought a cable leash to tie to the house.

The day before Thanksgiving, Bula was let out of the house without the leash and ran after something, Pollack said. The friend called after him and heard a gunshot a few minutes later but didn’t associate the two.

It wasn’t until later in the day that the friend discovered Bula had been shot and killed in the yard of Bruce Bell, a neighbor who lives north of the friend’s property on East Animas Road (County Road 250).

Bula was chasing Bell’s chickens and killed at least two of them before Bell’s friend shot the dog.

“I was so devastated, I wasn’t able to eat the next day,” Pollack said. “He was my family to me.”

Bell said the shooting was justified.

“He killed a bunch of chickens, and another neighbor of mine came by and shot the dog, and that’s just fine by me because if he hadn’t, he (Bula) would have killed all the chickens,” Bell said. “When dogs run loose, they cause problems and their owners don’t have a clue what their dogs are doing. It’s unfortunate, I hate to see anybody lose their dog.”

Bell said this isn’t the first time a dog has killed his chickens, and dog owners never offer to pay for the chickens or property destroyed by the animals.

“This is one of those sad cases where dogs are allowed to run and go on other people’s property,” said Jon Patla, animal control director for La Plata County and the city of Durango. “It’s unfortunate, but it happens.”

Patla said this is about the second time a dog has been shot in the last six months.

Landowners are encouraged to call Animal Control before taking action against a dog, but Patla said few do.

While Pollack said she is devastated about the loss of Bula, a Great Dane-Laborador mix she adopted from a shelter 7½ years ago, Bell’s friend was within the law. It’s legal under Colorado law for landowners to shoot dogs when they are harassing livestock.

But Pollack is trying to change that.

“Ultimately, I would like to have that law appealed and maybe establish a law that would give dog and dog owners certain rights,” she said. “(The law) is really broad and inconsistent with Samaritan values toward our pets and other laws against animal cruelty.”

[This woman wants us to have sympathy for her dog, but where is her sympathy for the chickens? Yes, it is a livestock animal that was being raised for eggs/meat, but that does not mean it cannot suffer terror and pain when being mauled to death by her "family member".

There were a lot of comments posted with this story. I thought this one hit the nail on the head:]

Amanda Winchester wrote:
I no longer live in Durango, but even here in Pueblo county, I raise chickens. They serve to feed my family and also provide a minimum of $50 a week income with their eggs. I have had dogs attack and kill chickens in my yard (which is surrounded by a 36'' high chain link fence). Dogs that are running loose and only come to the fence line, I chase away and try to find out where they come from so I can talk to the owners. If they don't have tags I call Animal Services, sometimes they come pick them up, sometimes they don't.

The first time I had a dog kill some chickens, I was able to confine the dog in my garage and wait for Animal Control. They showed up, I showed them the dead chickens and the dog with blood and feathers still stuck to it. The officer had me sign a paper and then caught the dog with a catch pole, drug it to his truck and confined it. He said that since it didn't have tags it would be taken to the shelter and if an owner came forward they would have to pay the damages for the dead livestock, pay a ticket for a dog at large and pay the impound fees. Considering that it killed 5 chickens, the fees would be over $300. If no one claimed it within 3 days, and since there was evidence that the animal had killed livestock, the dog is not considered adoptable and would automatically be euthanized.
Since then, I have called the pound twice more on dogs that have killed my animals simply because I was able to confine them. Mind you, these were dogs that when I approached them, did not act aggressively to me. They listened when I told them to 'drop it' and 'sit'. I will not endanger myself over someone else's dog. Unfortunately, I have had to shoot three dogs myself. Two dogs were aggressive towards me when I approached them (they lunged at me, growling and barking), the third actually bit me on the leg before I was able to shoot it.

Dog owners are required to obide by the leash law. I don't care if your dog is the most lovable, cuddly puppy when he is in your home. If you dog approaches me or my kids in a threatening way, attacks a person or livestock, especially in my yard, you better believe I will shoot it dead.

(Durango Herald - Dec 28, 2011)