Stray dog in back yard (house, living, pit bull)

[ChezAloha]

Two nights this past week a large dog has entered our back yard (we have an unfenced opening up on the hill behind the house and believe that's how he gets in - the yard is otherwise fenced). Earlier in the week, at around 1:00 am, I saw what I first thought was a large wild pig moving through the yard but after watching for a bit saw it was a dog. I watched it kill a chicken and then listened to it eat it for a while (I couldn't tell if it was a chicken or cat at the time, but there was a half-eaten chicken carcass and dead baby chicks in the yard the next morning). The dog then came up to our back windows and started sniffing around, but it eventually left. There was enough moonlight for me to see that it was a dog and watch it kill something, but I couldn't tell if it was collared or tagged, or what breed it was. The fact that it killed and ate the chicken makes me think it's a stray though and it was hungry, but it could be someone's hunting dog that has figured out how to get out of it's own yard.

The dog was back again last night. We haven't seen any chickens around since it killed the last one, so the dog didn't hang around long, but it did dig up the border behind the house and defecate up next to the house.

It appears, from all I can find out, that we are responsible for trapping the dog and turning it over to the Humane Society. Not knowing the breed of the dog, or how it might respond to humans, we are not willing to go outside and deal with the dog so are not sure what our options are.

Any ideas of how to deal with this, or should we just hope it finds somewhere else to go?

[tdr22]

You have no more chickens or roosters in your yard, right? Dog did the job, even left a 'pile of warning' to keep other critters away, dog did an exceptional job. Not seeing the need to do anything. Maybe celebrate?

[earslikeacat]

Do the most humane thing for the dog. Is there an Animal Control branch of your local police department?
If it ate a chicken it is not rabid or dangerous it is reverting back to natural instincts. Can you put some dog kibble out, try to talk nicely to it and gain it.s trust? May not be an immediate thing. Try to work with it at the same time every day. You would be saving a life here: strays lead lonely dangerous lives, when not hit by a car, that is.
Ask a local humane society for their advise? If he.s hungry thirsty and tired you may make him your friend quite quickly. But I have a huge heart and cannot see suffering animals: i have to act.

[hothulamaui]

Will animal control give you a trap? If so bait it and catch him that way. I. Would not approach it if you don't know if it's friendly. He also might get more friends if you leave food for him

[earslikeacat]

Granted it was a Golden Retreiver (very friendly breed) but I was able to coax a stray to calm down after I tempted him with a can of canned dog food. It took about a half hour. Have a leash and a can of dog food and sit and talk quietly to him. It can be done: try it or call another animal lover to help. Any clue what breed? Do be careful: a dog ready to bite gives signs but if he hasn t reverted back to his wolf roots he may be thankful for the help. Let us know how it goes. Get a leasg ready in case it goes smoother than u think! And know where to take him to if u do grab him! Good luck!

[hotzcatz]

There's no rabies in Hawaii, so it's not rabid. That's a good thing. Ask the Humane Society for a dog trap, they usually have them to lend out. Catch the dog in the trap and they may even come out to pick it up. Ask them when you ask for the trap.

[MaryleeII]

Hire a hunter to shoot it! He's a danger to you and on private property. Once gone feral, I doubt they ever return to a domestic lifestyle.

[tdr22]

Oh, you think the dog may be in danger, hungry or in general need of care. In that case there must be someone to help, folks really should not try to approach, trap, grab, etc an unknown dog, esp a dog that's wandering about yards killing critters. What if you had seen this dog chasing a person, would you still need to just take care of it yourself?

[ChezAloha]

Well, I'm not going to shoot it! I don't want to harm the animal, and get that it's probably hungry, but again don't know its attitude towards humans and really don't want to find out. The dog only comes early in the morning, like 1:00 or 2:00 am, but I'm usually still up then. I've heard it walking around in the yard, and am afraid it's been marking it. I'm not interested in going out in the dark to see if I can coax the dog to do anything, or make friends, and am not going to leave food out for it. Again, I have been unable to see if it's collared or tagged, or what breed it it. It could very well be a pit bull, or another breed that has been trained for hunting and has escaped from a neighbor's house.

I will call our local Humane Society and see if they offer traps, and if they will come and take the dog if we get it trapped - we don't have a vehicle large enough to transport a dog or trap that size.

I love dogs, and have been a dog owner (we can't have one where we are living though), but this one gives me the creeps for some reason.

Unfortunately or not, it hasn't kept the chickens away from the yard. They're still showing up every day.

[ChezAloha]

P.S. I should clarify that I haven't seen any chickens since the dog killed the one and the chicks; my husband said they've still been showing up every day.