Feral dog

Ky hills

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
8,625
City & State/Province
Clark County, KY
We live a couple miles from the local animal shelter, there has been an increase lately of dogs dropped around here and right at the shelter but not to it.
We heard one morning a few months back a dog barking outside and scratching on the door. It was a small dirty pup that we put in a crate till daylight. I posted it on a local fb group to see if anybody claimed it. Somebody said that the animal control had caught the mother and 3 other pups by our property across the road a little ways from where we live. So wife took the pup to the shelter, thinking she was doing the right thing. The people at the shelter start questioning her and wanting her to sign papers that she was surrendering the dog and wanted her name and address and why she was surrendering and asking questions about it.
Wife told them she was just taking a stray and didn’t know anything about the dog. So they go round and round and wife told them it was not her dog and she did not want to have her name attached to it if it was to come up that the dog had been deemed abused or neglected, and that we didn’t want it around our dog in case it had fleas or mange or some disease.
Finally wife halfway signed their forms because finally they admitted that they had caught the other mates and mother to it.
Anyways we think that because of bleeding heart animal loving attitude of the people at the shelter that people have just been dropping dogs again like they used to years ago.
People in this area have been reporting roaming dogs to the shelter, but they seem to be unable to catch them.
The shelter folks are saying that there is up to 8 dogs in one group and that they are feral and impossible for them to catch. They are telling people who call to report the dogs that if they are causing problems to just shoot the dogs if they need to.
For a while now we have been seeing a large dog, around, that is so wild it almost behaves like a coyote. As soon as it knows it’s seen it takes off.
It’s gotten in peoples garbage cans and we’ve been afraid it would bother cattle.
Have never been able to get a shot at dog.
Sunday morning I saw it with our old mammoth Jenny and was the closest I’d ever been to it, I could have taken care of it then but didn’t have a gun at the time of course.
But I did get a closer look in the few seconds before it took off. It looks to me like an Anatolian Shepherd. This morning saw it way off in the distance in the cow field.
As wild as it is I don’t know if it’s a runaway, been mistreated or completely feral like the animal control says.
They say it’s feral and they can’t catch it.
I’m wondering if since it might be a Anatolian if it might be beneficial out with the cattle to maybe keep coyotes and buzzards away?
I used to have and raised some Pyrenees , but I knew them and knew they weren’t going to bother livestock.D82F9152-BD08-424D-B86B-45DD8848A835.jpeg
 
One kick and that donkey would take care of alot of issues.

Hate to be in that position, especially with the animal shelter. Yeesh. Biggest concern is him eventually turning on the cows/calves.
 
We live a couple miles from the local animal shelter, there has been an increase lately of dogs dropped around here and right at the shelter but not to it.
We heard one morning a few months back a dog barking outside and scratching on the door. It was a small dirty pup that we put in a crate till daylight. I posted it on a local fb group to see if anybody claimed it. Somebody said that the animal control had caught the mother and 3 other pups by our property across the road a little ways from where we live. So wife took the pup to the shelter, thinking she was doing the right thing. The people at the shelter start questioning her and wanting her to sign papers that she was surrendering the dog and wanted her name and address and why she was surrendering and asking questions about it.
Wife told them she was just taking a stray and didn't know anything about the dog. So they go round and round and wife told them it was not her dog and she did not want to have her name attached to it if it was to come up that the dog had been deemed abused or neglected, and that we didn't want it around our dog in case it had fleas or mange or some disease.
Finally wife halfway signed their forms because finally they admitted that they had caught the other mates and mother to it.
Anyways we think that because of bleeding heart animal loving attitude of the people at the shelter that people have just been dropping dogs again like they used to years ago.
People in this area have been reporting roaming dogs to the shelter, but they seem to be unable to catch them.
The shelter folks are saying that there is up to 8 dogs in one group and that they are feral and impossible for them to catch. They are telling people who call to report the dogs that if they are causing problems to just shoot the dogs if they need to.
For a while now we have been seeing a large dog, around, that is so wild it almost behaves like a coyote. As soon as it knows it's seen it takes off.
It's gotten in peoples garbage cans and we've been afraid it would bother cattle.
Have never been able to get a shot at dog.
Sunday morning I saw it with our old mammoth Jenny and was the closest I'd ever been to it, I could have taken care of it then but didn't have a gun at the time of course.
But I did get a closer look in the few seconds before it took off. It looks to me like an Anatolian Shepherd. This morning saw it way off in the distance in the cow field.
As wild as it is I don't know if it's a runaway, been mistreated or completely feral like the animal control says.
They say it's feral and they can't catch it.
I'm wondering if since it might be a Anatolian if it might be beneficial out with the cattle to maybe keep coyotes and buzzards away?
I used to have and raised some Pyrenees , but I knew them and knew they weren't going to bother livestock.View attachment 51599
I am guessing from that pic, the donkey isn't much of a livestock guardian, huh? :)
 
It does look like it might have some Anatolian in it. IF it is not bothering the cattle, and prefers to stay with the livestock, I would let it be. IF at anytime, it becomes a problem, then time to address the issue. Since it is alone, and not running with the dog pack, it could very well have been a LGD on a farm, and some places they raise them totally with the animals and they have next to no association with humans. That is not the best way to raise them, they need to be raised with human interaction, with them accepting humans as part of their "pack" so that if they need doctoring or something, you can handle them. But there are people who don't have any other interaction except to feed them. No socialization. That could be the case with this one, or it could have been abused and wants nothing to do with people.
Other than shooting it, I don't see where you have many options... and it might help to deter predators.
 
Put some food out there for it every day. If it ain't hungry, it isn't likely to mess with a calf. And, if it gets food there every day, it will surely run off coyotes, buzzards, etc, that smell the food and come to investigate. And, eventually, it will associate you with food, and become more used to being around you.
 
Your animals know that dog is no threat to them. They are all looking at you as the threat! I agree with Warren.
Suggestion
Feed them all at the same time.
 
Your animals know that dog is no threat to them. They are all looking at you as the threat! I agree with Warren.
Suggestion
Feed them all at the same time.
I agree they don’t seem threatened by the dog. The calves there and donkey are likely looking at me for their feed.
The next thing the dog did was run away down up and down hills till it was out of sight.
I may try to put out some feed for it.
 
That dog is not even close to being hungry. Look at him.
That’s right, that dog has been roaming the area for several months. I’ve said it was getting food somewhere. The animal shelter person said that the main reason they couldn’t trap the dogs was that they were getting food. She said from garbage, road kill and small animals.
Somebody may be feeding it too.
 
That’s right, that dog has been roaming the area for several months. I’ve said it was getting food somewhere. The animal shelter person said that the main reason they couldn’t trap the dogs was that they were getting food. She said from garbage, road kill and small animals.
Somebody may be feeding it too.
Some one is definitelyfeeding it, imo. It looks better than a lot of dogs people own at their house every day. I've lost hunting dogs that are gone for just 2 or 3 days and they are significantly more drawn up than that.
 
Some one is definitelyfeeding it, imo. It looks better than a lot of dogs people own at their house every day. I've lost hunting dogs that are gone for just 2 or 3 days and they are significantly more drawn up than that.
Yeah I believe you’re right.
 
That's right, that dog has been roaming the area for several months. I've said it was getting food somewhere. The animal shelter person said that the main reason they couldn't trap the dogs was that they were getting food. She said from garbage, road kill and small animals.
Somebody may be feeding it too.
Well, just make sure it has a steady supply of adequate food at your place. and it will come to realize this as home. These type dogs tend to be protective of their "home".
 
I have caught a few strays in MB-550’s. I then call up the dog warden to come get them. She said if they aren’t claimed in 3 days they “go out of the county”…
 
Well, just make sure it has a steady supply of adequate food at your place. and it will come to realize this as home. These type dogs tend to be protective of their "home".
Only problem with keeping food out is we’d be feeding all other varmits too.
I used to have Pyrenees that worked pretty well, as long as they stayed home.
Had male Pyrenees that lived like a quote from Marshall Dillon, he carried his territory with him. After a few times of going awol, once as far as 10 miles away I found them a new home,
 
I remember when animal control in our county was an older man in a pickup with a .22 pistol at his side.
I remember similar too, an older man with a small older model pickup, he could “catch” anything. He was a renowned coyote trapper too.
Now our Animal control drives up and down the road in a big fancy shiny silver truck but doesn’t seem to be able to catch dogs.
 
Jltrent i think had one show up and stay a couple winters ago. Think its still there.
By far the best dog I have ever had. He strolls every now and then and has been gone four days now. I thought I heard him bark last night but have not seen him. I have been up the rode tonight looking for him.

A neighbor had a stroke, and his cattle was sold. He ended up with my cattle and I started feeding him. He hates coyote's and they don't mess around with him.

SvDyHO5.jpg
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top