Neighbor's dog attacking my goat

We are having some problems with are Nieghbor dog and keeps coming in to my yard and bit my goat I told nieghbors about it and they won’t do nothing there not watching there dog it’s a pitbull and my goat is all about me follows me around it’s sad I called in on nieghbors cops and the cops just told me if dog keeps coming in my property in my yard to shoot him if keeps messing with the goat we haven’t done nothing yet but just don’t know what to do if get rid of my goat I love my goat my goat is inside goat in house I bring her outside for All day till night she comes in but now I can’t leave her out I got to watch her and my dog has to go out there with her

Hi Cheyenne,
Welcome to Permies

I'm not sure about the wider problem, but I had a couple thoughts. First, would be a non-lethal option for the cop's suggestion would be a paintball gun. It is going to inflict pain without any lasting damage.

Or perhaps some sort of deterant at your fence line. They have motion detecting sprinklers that often work protecting gardens against critters... not sure if it would be effective against a dog. I would highly consider an electric fence to deter the dog and keep the goat safe. Again, there is pain and learning for the dog, without any lasting damage.

I had a dog that was attacking my neighbor's pets. He would dig under, jump over - anything. I used a softly electric wire. He tried once or twice - problem solved.
I was safe for birds, etc. I tested it myself - ouch - but I was fine so I used it.

I believe it was a kind choice. He had succeeded in killing already. No more of that.

It was a series of parallel wires, easy to install.

Just another note; my dog (my 1st, I miss him,) didn't need to wear a collar. It was just the taught slightly charged wires - no other components.

Make sure your goat is safe, and go see the cop's boss.

What the cops told you is a lazy cop's answer, and the people that own the dog are problem people. The cops would rather make you, a decent person,  do the work, and suffer the anger from the problem people. That's how lazy cops work. Alternately, the cops know and have some sort of relationship with the problem people.

You shoot that dog, and you will probably have problems from the dog owners and the law. It will not help you to say "the cops told me to shoot it" to either a judge or your very angry neighbors.

No one here knows where you live, or the laws there, so no one should talk about those laws. The boss cop will know those. The boss cop doesn't want any sort of shooting feud between you and the problem people. The boss cop also doesn't want it known that his cops are telling people to shoot dogs.  There is a good chance the boss will make the lazy cops go tell the neighbors to chain up the dog.

If I am right, you live in a rural area of an underdeveloped area. That means that local public opinion means a lot. When you go the boss cop, also go see your local priest, imam, or community wise person. Also, go see your local politician.  See all three.  Bring the power of the law, the church, and the political process against the problem neighbors.

One more thing, this is going to anger your neighbors and the lazy cops. You can't help that. You didn't cause this. But you need to be aware that they will blame you and try to cause you problems.  

Good luck and stay alert. If the pitbull gets to your goat, don't try to save the goat with your bare hands. Dogs are tough opponents.

Is there an animal control agency there you can contact?

Next time you talk to the police, if you have to, tell them the dog tried to or did bite you, I don't advocate lying but sometimes we are left no choice, I imagine it will force them to respond.

Tell your neighbors you will sue them and take them to court if your goat is harmed.

Two other, rather conclusive, suggestions (which I have used at various times).

If you have a shotgun, reload one or two of the shells. Take out the pellets and replace with rock salt. Non-lethal and really motivates. ~That dog never came back.
Or: -just shoot the dog (when nobody is looking). Then dispose of the body in a place where it will not be found. Far, far away is best. ~~That dog really never came back.

Suggested cautions: Don't tell your wife, husband, best friend, nobody. Stop talking to anyone/everyone about the situation. You don't need mad neighbors; you don't need inquiring authorities. You haven't seen the dog in days, you don't have any idea where it is. You hope that wherever it strayed off to, it's having a pleasant time.

1. I have a friend who's done the paintball trick on deer. Short term solution as he  finds they 'need reminders'!
2. Another, possible cheaper short term solution, would be a super soaker. Most hose nozzles don't give a narrow enough stream and may be more awkward to get where you want them. I've used a water stream to break up fights between my geese and ducks and they even like water - they just don't like a spray of it in their faces.
3. I agree 100% with the "don't physically intervene" with a pit bull. They have jaws designed to clamp shut and stay that way. They have killed humans before. I like my permies alive...
4. That salt as a bullet exchange is new to me, but if you have the equipment and necessary permits/licenses, I could see getting desperate enough to go that route. I tend to agree that it shouldn't be your responsibility to stop this dog, but I do understand that trying to get social pressure to change the neighbor's approach can be both difficult and potentially get you labelled rather than them. If you can think of anyone the neighbor respects, you could try to use them as your messenger and focus on the dog's safety - if it keeps attacking your goat, it's likely to meet a bad end.

My solution would be to catch the dogs, pen them up, and call animal control.

Bait some pens with some juicy meat ought to do the trick.

I am really surprised at the suggestion that police would suggest shooting the dogs.

That is a good way to be charged with animal cruelty and I am sure you probably don't want to incur those kinds of fines.

Your responsibility is to protect your animals. If it's imminent danger - you see a dog attacking your livestock, I would shoot.
If it already happened, I would call sheriff. They react quite quickly to such calls where I am.
I lost 3 sheep and few chickens to dogs. No dog on my property allowed. They are underfed by their questionable owners and will come to kill the livestock. It's always owner's fault, but when your animals are in danger you have to step in and eliminate the pest.

We've had this problem, before, but with the attacks being on our chickens. They'd already been warned by other neighbors that as soon as people's pets and/or livestock started disappearing, those dogs probably wouldn't keep coming back home, so when half our birds were massacred, we added our voices to the choir - then we set up a hunting blind, and put it to use, because as soon as they saw any human, anywhere, they took off. We were very happy to hear a month or so later, they'd moved, with no shots fired.

I agree with the trapping method.Your not labeled as an animal abuser and you have the proof the dog was on your property,call animal control or the police.Do not mess with a pitbull,they are bred to kill, if they wish to do so they can.Our rural mail carrier got mauled by one and was only saved by a passing tow truck driver who happened to see it and knew what to do,i dont care how much of a good pet they can be, they can also be your worst nightmare.

A big dog or coyote sized trap can be bought at most farm stores.Think of it as a security investment.