What the HECK were they thinking!? (Tresspassing) Ratsicles

    • Gold Top Dog

    What the HECK were they thinking!? (Tresspassing) Ratsicles

    Wow.  It will never, ever cease to amaze me how dumb people can be. Let me tell you guys what just happened.

    I was out feeding/grooming the horses behind the barn, when I hear people talking in the distance. Odd, because I live on a private road. Only us and one other neighbor EVER use this road, and there are big huge "no trespassing" signs at the entrance.

    So, I put down the buckets I'm carrying and stick my head around the side of the barn. Chief is standing about 5 feet away from our main gate, head low and doing his "don't come any closer" growl, while some stupid teenage girl and teenage boy are opening our gate.

    So, I ask them: "Uh, can I help you guys?"

    The girl looks up and goes "Oh yeah hi I just wanted to pet ya'lls animals!!"

    HmmIndifferent

    "Um, you don't just open someone's gate and walk right onto their property."

    So she rolls her eyes, sighs heavily, and says "FINE, can we pet your goats??"

    Indifferent

    "No you may not. Close my gate."

    So she just lets go of the gate, and they both turn around and stomp off in a huff. The gate swings open, and I have to RUN a hundred feet to close it before the goats and chickens escaped. Luckily Chief knows better than to go through that gate, and luckily he won't bother anyone he sees EXITING our property, because he had a clear shot at both of them.

    So apparently people just walk onto someone elses property, after unlatching their gates, and just start touching their livestock. And apparently, large guard dogs that are clearly angry standing five feet away are just fluffy and cute and nothing to worry about whatsoever. And apparently, if the owner of the property says anything, THEY are just plain rude. I am obviously running a petting zoo and have no right to ask someone not to enter my property and start manhandling my goats. Indifferent

    So my concern is this- if apparently people have no problem with just ignoring the fact that people have closed gates and "no tresspassing" signs, what if they wander onto my property and get bitten by the LARGE GUARD DOG that they seem so inclined to sompletely ignore? Chief has specifically been taught not to allow strangers of ANY kind- human or otherwise- onto our property. If that means he needs to bite someone to drive the point home, I have no problem with that- if they're dumb enough to ignore his warnings and the posted ones, and blatantly tresspass, they deserve to get bitten. But, apparently, people can, and have been sued, and their dogs deemed vicious, taken away, and euthanized for defending their property.

    I think it's ridiculous- I can shoot someone for trespassing, but if my dog bites them, well, THAT'S a different story. Confused

    So here's my question- what can I do to protect myself and my dogs from idiots? We already have "No tresspassing" signs that people ignore. We're going to get a lock for our gate instead of just a latch. I'm going to add a "Do Not Open Gate" sign as well. But is there anything I can do to absolve myself, and Chief, of liability if they're dumb enough to get bitten? I've heard that "Guard Dog on Duty" and "Beware of Dog" signs are bad because they can be used as addmission of "knowing that your dog is vicious" should it bite someone...so is there anything else I can get to deter people from entering our property?

    The next time something like this happens, I'm just going to call the cops. I can't believe some people. You wouldn't open someone's door, walk into their house, and start playing with their dogs...why is opening someone's gate to "play" with their livestock any different? Angry

    • Gold Top Dog

    I was told by a lawyer friend a few years ago that having "Beware of Dog" or "Guard Dog" signs can lead to trouble as you are stating that you know your dog will bite.

    You can put up one of those "Beware of Owner" signs and that might scare people off, and even a trespassers will be shot" just do not give any indication that your dog might bite.

    Can you put a chain and a lock on your gate? I know it stinks to have to unlock it to open but at least it will prevent people from "wandering" in. If they climb over it and it is clearly marked no trespassing you are in a better position to prove they were trespassing than if the gate is easliy opened by anyone.

    http://cvfsupplyco-store.stores.yahoo.net/yasi12x16nmi.html  (beware of owner sign)

    http://www.campingsurvival.com/wartreswilbe1.html (trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again)

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    dgriego
    trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again

    Ratsicles, I don't have any advice, unfortunately, but I love this sign!! 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Me neither...I wouldn't tussle with a working Pyr so I have no idea what those people are thinking....but I want that "survivors will be shot again" sign and I live in a suburban house, without a gun! LOL. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    janet_rose
    trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again

    I love this!  You may want to check w/ your local laws about the "beware of dog" and "guard dog on duty" signs, I don't understand why that would cause problems (then again...) My defense would be, "well sir, the NO TRESPASSING signs I have posted everywhere didn't seem to work, so I figured maybe these would.  Too bad you didn't think of it at the time and ask them "Can't you read?" 

    I would be tempted to call the local school district, since most likely these kids are local and ask if they teach reading.  LOL 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Actually I do have one suggestion - put a motion sensitive alarm on your gate.   

    • Gold Top Dog

    What about stringing a strand of electric fence wire along the top of the fence too, so if they touch the fence or try to climb over when they encounter the locked gate, they'll be shocked?

    For signage, I'd go with "Livestock guardian dog on duty" sign or something similar that implies "large working dog" but not "big mean dog".  My parents have a sign on their yard fence that says "Dogs in Yard" to get around the potential problems w/ other wording.

    • Gold Top Dog

    As far as I am aware there is nothing wrong with "Large Dog(s) Running Free"

    I was going to suggest the motion sensor too...

    I cannot BELIEVE the stupidity of some people!  You could almost laugh couldn't you???!!!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Our neighbors have a sign that reads:  "security dog on patrol".  Nobody goes in!

    • Gold Top Dog

    My understanding is that, at least in Murrayville, GA, if you have "No Trespassing" signs clearly posted people who come onto your land are at fault. If, however, they remove the signs - you are at fault. Apparently photographic evidence and receipts are not enough to prove the signs were clearly posted.

    Because Nana and Papa's land backs up to a trailer park they have to post "No Trespassing" signs all the time. But the kids take them down and come into the pasture to play with the horses and dogs.

    I second the electric wire suggestion. For people, not your animals, of course. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    The way I see it, if someone is stupid enough to walk onto my property, while my dogs are growling and warning them, they deserve to get bit.  Some people just have no common sense.  I have "Beware of Dog" signs on my property and I have never had anyone say anything to me about them.  I am not saying that my dogs are aggressive but I am not going to say "no, she won't bite you"  I say, try locking the gate first and if that doesn't work, then get a motion sensor alarm.  I am not a mean person but I would have told those kids off.  You don't come onto someone's property, then catch an attitude with them.

    • Gold Top Dog

    stardog85

    What about stringing a strand of electric fence wire along the top of the fence too, so if they touch the fence or try to climb over when they encounter the locked gate, they'll be shocked?

    I believe setting up a booby trap is a crime.

    Over on the horse forum we just had a discussion about tourists getting onto our property to "pet the pretty horseys". Since you have horses you need to also put up Equine Liability signs. We have them up at both main entrances to our pastures. Make sure they're regulation size or youre not covered legally. I know valleyvet.com sells them.

    As adorkable said - the no trespassing signs are enough around here. If our dogs bite someone trespassing then they COULD be taken and observed to make sure they don't have rabies and to make sure they're not 'viscious' (in some counties)... but all of our dogs only bite if they're threatened. My cousin is a deputy, so I know that's correct at least in my county.

    Someone on the horse forum's neighbors put a sign on their gate stating something along the lines of "By entering this property you agree to a $300 daily access fee" and if they get pictures of the people on their property and a picture of the sign being up at the time then their lawyer said they can actually charge the people $300... along with court fees and trespassing violations. They had people trying to camp on their property - and the problem has completely stopped (but they're in somewhere in the midwest).

    Just shoot at them next time, it's legal, it'll get the point across. Wink They probably won't be back.

    Edit to add: Don't put up those cutsey "Don't feed your fingers to the horses" or "Dogs bite, horses kick, don't ride bikes!" signs... like the guard dog signs they admit that your animals can cause harm to others and it is then YOUR fault that you have such "horrible" or "dangerous" creatures.

    DPU

    stardog85

    What about stringing a strand of electric fence wire along the top of the fence too, so if they touch the fence or try to climb over when they encounter the locked gate, they'll be shocked?

    I believe setting up a booby trap is a crime.

    That's not a booby trap, that's called a safe fence. A large percentage of horse people use electric fencing.

    • Gold Top Dog
    We have had a similar situation but noone has been stupid enough (as far as I know) to try and actualy go back in the pasture with teh animals. Our neighbors and local kids will come on our propery with out asking to stick thier hands through the fencs to pet the goats or horse. Its so weird. Do I ever go over to their house with out asking and just start petting thier kids? lol Some people are just lack smartness. I second the lock Idea, atleast it will tell people that your land is not a free petting zoo. Also you could put barbed wire around the top of the fence to discourage any 'jumpers' . Thast crazy that happened but atleast you were there to tell them to leave. :/