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One of Donald Hudgins’ few remaining free-range chickens walks in his yard on Thursday. Hudgins said he had 113 sitting hens on Nov. 1 but now has only four sitting hens and one rooster.

Donald Hudgins says stray dogs have come close to wiping out his business of raising chickens and other fowl on his DeKalb County farm.

Mr. Hudgins, who raises free-range chickens and other birds on property west of Maysville, allegedly shot and killed a Golden Labrador Retriever May 1 owned by one of his neighbors. Dave Taylor, the dog’s owner, alleges that numerous other dogs have been shot in the vicinity.

According to his account, however, Mr. Hudgins only fired his .12-gauge shotgun to protect an investment that was threatened by the dog. He said he initially fired a warning shot into the air.

“I looked up and there were two dogs chasing my chickens,” he said.

A bullet felled and later killed the dog. The other dog ran off and was unharmed, Mr. Hudgins said.

“The dog that I shot didn’t have a collar,” he said.

An enterprise of raising chickens, quail, grouse, pheasant and sage hens has been damaged by dogs that have attacked his birds, Mr. Hudgins said. It’s the reason why he has chosen twice to use a gun to thwart dogs that enter his pens, despite Mr. Taylor’s allegations. He raises the birds under a license through the state of Missouri to assist in a re-population program.

“There are loose dogs everywhere” in the area, Mr. Hudgins said. “I’m just protecting my livelihood. ... At one time, I had 270 quail. ... I spent over $1,000 building one cage.”

Earlier in the week, he saw three puppies that appeared to be pugs that he believes were dropped off unwanted by the owner.

Mr. Hudgins said he’s been unfairly branded as an animal killer by county residents. It’s become difficult to procure new bird eggs to raise after the loss of much of his livestock.

“I’m dead in the water right now,” he said.

He added that he had 113 sitting hens as of Nov. 1, but now has just four sitting hens and one rooster.

DeKalb County Sheriff Wes Raines said that information from both sides of the dispute has been forwarded to the prosecuting attorney’s office. Mr. Hudgins said he has filed a law enforcement report on the matter.

Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.