When One Pet Kills Another - How to Cope?

I don't know what to do right now. I love my dog more than almost anything but I am having a real rough time right now. I can't even look at her. I had my husband bring her to my mother's house for the time being. Here is what happened.

I have wanted a bird for a long while. I finally decided to act on it a few months ago when there was a Craigslist ad for free handfed cockatiel babies. I began making toys and getting supplies. I took a ferret cage I had previously used for rats and set it up. It is 2x2x4. I figured it would be great for a bird cage. Well, things fell through with the guy from CL, and I never got my baby.

On Sunday, I went to a bird expo and came home with a baby cockatiel. A beautiful pied who I named Sunny. He was great. From day one he wouldn't hesitate to climb onto my hand and let me take him out. I work from home and set his cage right beside me. I talked to him all day. I made him a cozy little nest in basket filled with fake feathers that he slept in. We were really starting to build a bond.

Last night my husband and I went upstairs to feed the reptiles. We were upstairs for only a minute when my husband heard something and ran downstairs. I could hear him screaming at our dog and I started to panic and ran down. When I got to the living room my husband was holding sunny and told me something was wrong. Zoe had pushed the side of the cage in on the bottom and got him. My husband found him on the floor a few feet away.

There wasn't any blood but he wasn't right. I thought he was just in shock. The closest exotics vet that I trust is 2 hours away, so I didn't know what to do. I looked him over but again couldn't see any damage, so I figured he was just really scared, so I put him in his nest and turned off the lights and left him alone. We put the dog outside and went back upstairs to finish taking care of the reptiles. About half an hour later we came back down and I checked on him. He was gone.

He must have passed only a few minutes after we left him because he was already stiff. I held him and cried and told him I was sorry. He was just a baby. He was just sleeping and Zoe killed him. I was supposed to protect him and keep him safe and I failed.

So, my question is, how do I deal with this? Is there anyone else here who has had one pet kill another? How can I face Zoe now? How do I get over what she did? I still love her but right now I can't even look at her. She has never tried to hurt any living thing before, except bugs that is. I mean, maybe she wasn't even trying to hurt the bird. Maybe she was just trying to play, but either way, she killed him and I don't know how to deal with that.

Amanda, I am so sorry this happened. I know you loved your bird and I know you love your dog as well.
Is is not unusual for some dogs to hunt down small animals they see as prey. It does not mean they are evil, it is just the way they are. Some dogs chase cats and squirrels and birds. Some don't.

If you decide to get another bird in the future, realize that you may just have to keep the bird safe, Maybe a locking cage, in a room where the dog is not allowed. Don't beat yourself up for this time, you had no idea that your dog would do this. But now you do, and the next bird will have to have extra security.

Again, I am so sorry. But you dog loves you and you love her, and this is not a reason to hate her.

You cope by learning to make better decisions. Of course the dog isn't to blame and knowing that is how you bring her back to her home ASAP.

Nothing unnatural about what happened. You need to know your animals. I have a couple of dogs and many many other animals. My lab hangs out with the goats, chickens, ducks, geese, etc,etc... Heck, even interacts well with rabbits and doesn't see them as food. I have a GSD that would slaughter them all if I wasn't present so she is never left in the position to do so. She is well trained not to do so in my presence but she would certainly eat every one of them in my absence.

The bird was new to the dog's home. There should have been zero expectations that the dog would know the rules.

I have to agree with Lucille and Dennis on this one, you can't blame the dog, period. I actually had the same thing happen with my ferret and a bird I had adopted. I thought I had done everything right, bought a good locking bird cage, kept them in separate rooms, etc. But one day while the ferret was out having his free time the bird some how managed to finally break the lock on one of his doors and slip out, the second he hit the floor the ferret's instincts kicked in and he snatched him faster than lightning. There was nothing to be done, the bird did what was natural trying to get out and enjoy freedom and the ferret did what was natural in hunting down it's natural prey.

Yes I felt bad, yes I was angry for a moment that it had happened, but I couldn't blame either one of them. The only thing that could have been done differently was flat out make that entire room entirely inaccessible to the ferret, which I did not do. So maybe, if you do decide to get another bird you are going to have to do the same. Get a proper bird cage for one, one that can't be just pushed open by a dog, and for two, separate the bird in it's own room where the dog has absolutely zero access.

I know I can't blame Zoe, and I don't. But it still hurts and I need a day or two. Its not like she feels like she is being punished. She loves my mother and vice versa. My mother begs to babysit her, lol. Right now it just hurts. I wasn't cautious enough and an innocent baby payed the price.

Sorry to hear about the baby, but I learned very early on that animals will be animals. From the really shocking (to me back then, at least) cannibalistic hamsters I had when I was in elementary school, to the newborn kittens eaten by my snake when he got loose while I was at work, to a Bassett mix I adopted who then proceeded to eat a few colony rats and gnaw on a few others while I was at work, to Sundance my cat who apparently nabbed a bird that came down the chimney while I was shopping and thoroughly plucked nearly every feather off that bird. I've never seen so many feathers strewn around 3 rooms in my life and the bird basically intact, but did not live past a couple days.

None of the animals were to blame; I was (well, except for the hamsters, I was only a kid and my parents bought those things as cute, fuzzy babies - then they turned into blood-thirsty males!).

Zoe just did not know any better. You live, you learn ... and don't beat yourself up.

Outstanding responses,all containing the truth of the matter
Big Mean Ole World out here,take what you can use from folks and move on to better things.