How my brother deals with yard wildlife

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

Then how would you get rid of a large vermin, not a rat/mouse, but like a groundhog or skunk? A lot of animal control places don't catch vermin. I don't want to put the animal in my car and drive it to a preserve. It will stink up my car, or worse, if it has fleas/ticks, it may get in the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

Actually I've read that drowning mice for example is the best way to dispatch them. Haven't done it but did read it.

My DH caught a mouse, and left it in the trash bin alive. It died of dehydration within a day.

I understand these animals have fur, but i don't see it as that different than swatting a mosquito. A lot of these types of animals carry diseases and/or can destroy your property.

Drowning it, letting it dehydrate, poisoning it - they all cause the creature to suffer, but they sell rat poison in stores, so people don't seem to mind the poisoning.

[Anonymous]

OK, since OP just asked for suggestions, I will offer some.

First, shooting critters with a BB gun has got to stop. He needs a proper .22 caliber firearm. Sealed containers for feed are a good idea but the feed will be out and about for the chickens and so it won't stop rats and squirels, but larger foragers. He needs to get a cat to deal with the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

Actually I've read that drowning mice for example is the best way to dispatch them. Haven't done it but did read it.

My DH caught a mouse, and left it in the trash bin alive. It died of dehydration within a day.

I understand these animals have fur, but i don't see it as that different than swatting a mosquito. A lot of these types of animals carry diseases and/or can destroy your property.

Drowning it, letting it dehydrate, poisoning it - they all cause the creature to suffer, but they sell rat poison in stores, so people don't seem to mind the poisoning.

Now THAT seems to me to be a horrible way to die, and cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

DROWNING an animal is not normal behavior. It's not. And, I'm no "city folk." We have TONS of animal is my yard and I grew up in a rural area.

I'd report him. And tell him what I think of his behavior.

Actually I've read that drowning mice for example is the best way to dispatch them. Haven't done it but did read it.

My DH caught a mouse, and left it in the trash bin alive. It died of dehydration within a day.

I understand these animals have fur, but i don't see it as that different than swatting a mosquito. A lot of these types of animals carry diseases and/or can destroy your property.

Drowning it, letting it dehydrate, poisoning it - they all cause the creature to suffer, but they sell rat poison in stores, so people don't seem to mind the poisoning.

Now THAT seems to me to be a horrible way to die, and cruel.

How is that any different than a trap which you leave? The animal will die of dehydration or starvation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure how to handle a situation. I am visiting a family member out of state. They started keeping chickens in the backyard, but it is against their city code. It seems like many people do it there and it just isn't really monitored. It doesn't seem to be a big deal. Just 4 chickens, no rooster. My sibling told me that because of the chicken feed, they are starting to get small animals. Rats in the shed, squirrels, and 2 skunks. They live near the mountains, so these animals are not out of the norm. They are keeping a 'humane' trap that traps the animals live to keep them from the chickens, their shed, and creating nests in they ard. Then, (this is the part that disturbs me) my brother shoots them with a bb gun after he finds them in the trap. He doesn't enjoy this, but does it just to get rid of the animals. He used to let the squirrels go, but then he found items in their shed that had been chewed through and ruined. He released the first skunk somewhere, but he actually (this part is what I can't get past) drowned the second skunk. I don't know how he did it- I didn't ask. He was embarrassed to tell me. I felt like he knew it was bad, but he must not be willing to deal with releasing them humanely because of the time and effort it takes. He just wants the quickest solution.
Before they got the chickens, they would get rats sometimes in their shed and he'd shoot them. He doesn't own real guns, just a BB gun or pellet gun of some sort. He's so busy and I think it's just a matter of not having time to do it the humane way. He's not an animal lover like me, and doesn't seem to feel bad for doing it, but just feels bad because he knows it's not 'right'. Not bad enough to stop doing it, but bad enough to keep it quiet.
Part of me wants to report them for the chickens because then it would stop the issue, but the kids love the chickens, and he'd still be shooting the rats.
Part of me wants to report the killing of the skunk, but maybe I'm the only one he's told and I don't want their family to be mad at me. Their kids love the chickens, and they' say it's none of my business.
I am an animal lover and passionate about animal protection. I would never kill a rodent. That's why this is disturbing me so much. If it was a stranger or a neighbor, I'd be quicker to report. But this is my brother. It's not my neighborhood and part of me just thinks I should not get involved, but drowning a skunk?? That's awful, and I think it will just continue.
Any suggestions?
Please don't create a big thread about how awful my brother is for doiing this- I KNOW that. Please just give suggestions. Thanks.

OP, your brother sounds rather stupid. He can't just pick any shed and expect that animals won't try to get at the chickens or eggs. There are lots of resources online, e.g.,:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/06/15-tips-to-control-rodents-around.html

He's perpetuating the problem not fixing it.

[Anonymous]

OP, the way your brother is getting rid of vermin and small pests is the standard rural way of doing so. It is not a big deal, at least in rural areas. If he releases them, they will always come back. As the PP stated, he needs to prevent the small mammals from getting in.

[Anonymous]

Your brother is an idiot for creating conditions favorable to vermin. And for using a BB gun.
As for the drowning, its not pretty but it is used in rural areas.

[Anonymous]

I can "one up" all of you.
My upstate relatives put their family dogs down by taking them out back and shooting them.
It is less traumatic than a trip to the vet, they say, and I can't disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can "one up" all of you.
My upstate relatives put their family dogs down by taking them out back and shooting them.
It is less traumatic than a trip to the vet, they say, and I can't disagree.

Presumably the relatives know how to shoot and are not using BB guns.
The main thing against the OP's brother seems to be the choice of his methods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can "one up" all of you.
My upstate relatives put their family dogs down by taking them out back and shooting them.
It is less traumatic than a trip to the vet, they say, and I can't disagree.

What is wrong with that? It is not like the dog know what is going to happen….

[Anonymous]

You spend a lot of time making excuses for your brother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can "one up" all of you.
My upstate relatives put their family dogs down by taking them out back and shooting them.
It is less traumatic than a trip to the vet, they say, and I can't disagree.

What is wrong with that? It is not like the dog know what is going to happen….

I agree that is is more humane that way. For many dogs, just seeing the parking lot of the vets is traumatic since they associate the vet with shots and other unpleasant business. For some, a trip to the vet for euthanasia is rather traumatic to begin with. But a trip out to the back yard, which is frequently associated with fun and playing, then a quick death is probably significantly more humane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here
My brother doesn't have a personality disorder, he's not antisocial, he doesn't have a lack of conscience. He feels bad for doing it, but he just has to solve the problem and he's solving it. It's an issue of convenience. He doesn't LIKE doing it, he's just doing what he thinks needs to be done to keep his shed from getting infested.

You are wrong. He is a sociopath. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Holy cow. You are nuts.

A thread about how awful your brother is? How about a thread about how nuts you are.

Killing rats? Rats are vermin and spread diseases. Human have been killing rats since time memoriam and anyone who eats ANY kind of food -- be it meat like chicken, or grain, or rice -- has to realize that quite a few animal were killed along the way.

Vegetarian/animal lovers like you crack me up.

Do you forage for your food? Cuz if not, it came from a farm and many, many animals are displaces and yes even killed in the production of vegetable and grains. And if you do not know that, then you know NOTHING about where food comes from and I suggest you spend a weekend at least on a working farm.

Hint: America was not always acres and acres of soybeans, corn etc. It was habit for animals. Want to know how many animals die each year in the harvesting of grains? Didn't think so.