County Commissioners compensate chicken rancher for lost stock
Dog attacks and kills farmer’s chickens – gets $375 from the county. Wanted $2,268.
Chicken wrangler Rick Butler up Schooner Creek Road near Lincoln City recently suffered a loss of 15 of his egg laying chickens. A dog of unknown residence got to them. When the carnage was over 15 hens lay dead on the ground.
When discovered, Butler remembered that livestock kills due to rogue dogs can be compensated for by the county commission. In this case, the Lincoln County Commission based in Newport. So he filed a claim for the 15 chickens and for the eggs they would have laid for him and sold. Total: $2,268.
At Wednesday’s county commission meeting County Counsel Wayne Belmont said the county ordinance covers the hens at between 20 and 30 dollars each. But lost eggs aren’t part of the deal because, with the county replacing the chickens, egg production losses should be minimal. So the county is cutting Mr. Butler a check for $375 – a middle rate of $25 per chicken.
Funds for such compensation due to wayward dogs comes out of dog license fees paid by residents county-wide.
