walk with me wed dog days

For the second day in a row we have had hot and humid weather. These are the Dog Days, or so the Romans called them. A time "when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and frenzies" (from Brady’s Clavis Calendarium, 1813)"

The dogs did go mad around here. On Tuesday, I returned to my home after a trip to town, to discover that 2 dogs had been running my chickens down. The dogs were collared. I saw them. It is against the law, in the state of Pennsylvania, to allow your dogs to run free. I couldn't find my chickens anywhere, only piles of feathers and dirt where there had been a struggle. My heart sank. We chased the dogs away with a garden rake. We searched around and called and called. Finally, the chickens began to emerge from under the brush. One by one I found them. I crawled under bushes to retrieve them, and suddenly the dogs were upon us again. Barking and chasing, hunting. They were big dogs, and frightened me. Their eyes were buldging, saliva was draped in strings around their muzzle's, while their tongue's were swollen to twice the normal size, all swinging and dangling down. They barked and ran in every direction imaginable. They behaved as if they were mad.

The next couple of hours were chaotic, consisting of us trying to fight off dogs while rounding up traumatized hens. It was so hot and humid, I felt as wet as if I had been swimming, and I was breathless from running down dogs and chickens. Somehow, we managed (along with the help of a friend) to find almost all of the hens. The rooster seemed the worst. His eyes kept rolling up in his head in a queer sort of seizure like way. His tail feathers were completely gone, as were most of the feathers along his legs and underbelly.

Even after we managed to get the chickens into the run, the dogs returned. Barking and throwing their bodies up against the chicken wire fencing. I lost count of the number of times that we chased them off our land. Finally, after sunset, they did not return.

My chickens survived, all but one, are accounted for. But they have suffered miserably. Most do not have any tail feathers left, some of them do not have any feathers around their chest and neck. I don't know yet if their internal parts have been affected. At any rate, I will not have any eggs for weeks, months, or perhaps ever again.

Most of my hens are 5 years or older. They are free ranging pets. They stay on our property. I have a fenced in run for them. These dogs ran onto my property and attacked my chickens. And then they ran away. I have no recourse. At the moment, my hamlet has no dog warden. I feel violated, and sad, with no where to take my complaints.

My chickens cannot go free on my property now. Once again, the word respect(and lack thereof) comes to mind. Who's dogs were they? What responsible owner would allow their dogs to just run free? I am tired and exasperated from cleaning up and putting up with irresponsible people. I am hot and tired from the dog days.

As a post script to this entry, I want to thank everyone for the kind and helpful comments that were offered. I also received a private email which contained the following information: Pennsylvania Dog Laws All dogs must be under control and may not be allowed to run at large. Dogs are personal property and owners are responsible for any damages caused by their dog. Violations of State Dog Laws carry fines up to a maximum of $300 Plus Court Costs Act 46 of 1990 is known as the "Dangerous Dog Law" It was enacted to provide greater protections to persons attacked by a "dangerous dog and to provide for greater control by dog owners of dogs considered to be dangerous." A dangerous dog is defined as one which attacked a human being without provacation, or killed or inflicted severe injury to a domestic animal without provocation while off an owner's property. Some Responsibilites of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement 1. Reimburse people for dog-caused damage to livestock, poultry and domestic game birds.