Dog shot by farmer

Neil B

Neil B

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I do feel for the poor women losing her dog like this but it seems like someone else was walking her dog and didn't have it under control :thinking:
 
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'Im wuzz worryin' moi sheep, now gedorrff moi Laaand"
 
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its a difficult one because you have to feel sorry for the dog (which was just doing what dogs do) and the owner assuming she wasn't walking it

however equally sheep , and to a lesser extent cattle, worrying is a major problem for farmers - especially at this time of year when a lot of livestock are pregnant or nursing - its all very well for owners to say "oh but he wouldn't have hurt them" but that totally overlooks that by chasing them around the dog is hurting them and can easily cause a pregnant ewe or heifer to miscarry through stress - or indeed to die from shock
 
neil_g said:
spooky.

the dog(s) was reported missing for a week? where was the person in charge of said animals to not know what happened??
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It says the pooch ran away whilst being walked by a friend and a search was launched.....Dogs go missing....It happens :thinking:
 
Having a lot of friends in the farming community, in fact my sister works for one of the cattle societies this is as Pete said a very real problem and with cattle being essentially valuable assets to the farmers they will within the law protect them....I do feel sorry for the dogs, but the owners should take greater care as to the control of their pets and also where they take those pets in the first place
 
Dogs running wild with no owner around could hardly be left to continue the rampage.

As above even a dog which 'wouldn't hurt them' can cause serious problems not under tight control because a lot of animals will panic on seeing an unfamiliar dog approach - they don't know it is 'gentle' - there's a high risk of damaging fences/crashing out onto a road or something, damaging legs or udders or causing abortions if they are are close to giving birth.
Free range hens in a large group would likely crowd into a corner and suffocate each other if that is the right story link.
 
viv1969 said:
It says the pooch ran away whilst being walked by a friend and a search was launched.....Dogs go missing....It happens :thinking:
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friend shouldn't have had it off the lead - if it won't reliably come back then its not under control.

And in this case I don't really see that the farmer had a lot of choice - two dogs killing chickens that won't stop when you try to scare them off - shooting is perfectly justified
 
Would have been better just to get the cost of replacement hens from the owner. They're only hens. Killing two dogs for the sake of a few birds seems excessive. If they're that easy to get at what does the farmer do about foxes?

They were only spaniels not enormous killing machines. Farmer sounds inept.
 
This is an emotive subject guys.
Lets keep it civil.
If must attack something, attack the story not each other.

As you were :thumbs:
 
Chickens this time, bit what next time ?

Have helped a farmer clear up after dogs had been chasing his pregnant ewes I have absolutely no sympathy for people who let
dogs run free when they have no control over them.
All my dogs have been livestock safe before being allowed to run free in the countryside, you never know what you are going
to find in fields when out walking and should always have control over your dogs, if not then keep them on a lead.

One has to also ask would this story have made headlines if the owner hadn't been a famous actress ?
Probably not
 
srichards said:
Would have been better just to get the cost of replacement hens from the owner. They're only hens. Killing two dogs for the sake of a few birds seems excessive. If they're that easy to get at what does the farmer do about foxes?

They were only spaniels not enormous killing machines. Farmer sounds inept.
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That sounds a little harsh Suz. I know a Rottweiler who is more likely to lick you to death than bite you and a Jack Russell who'd quite happily tear livestock a new one! A farmer isn't to know the nature of the dog and if, as appears to be the case here, the owner isn't to be seen, the farmer isn't guaranteed to get any reimbursement. They may be only hens to you but they're a livelihood to te farmer.
 
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I'm sure there's some farmers out there who are only too keen to take the shot but they must be few and far between- at the end of the day everyone who owns a dog knows the rules and it's understandable given the potential impact on someones livelihood.

If there's sheep/ horses going to be around then one dog is on the leash as he can't be trusted to come when called if he sees them. The other one is barely interested if you're not a tennis ball but will follow any command anyway so I don't have any issues with her. Bottom line is it's my responsibility to make sure they are not in a position to be shot.
 
Hen that died was closer to a pet. It makes mention of it being hand reared by the child.

Dogs in a field full of sheep is another matter and I'd expect a farmer to shoot them.
 
Dog owners responsibility to keep the dog(s) under control. Farmer perfectly within his rights to protect his livestock. Without the Sue Johnson connection, this would be a non story.
 
big soft moose said:
friend shouldn't have had it off the lead - if it won't reliably come back then its not under control.

And in this case I don't really see that the farmer had a lot of choice - two dogs killing chickens that won't stop when you try to scare them off - shooting is perfectly justified
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Pete, you misunderstand my sentiment
I believe that shooting the dog was perfectly justified by the livestock owner.
I was just answering Neil's apparent wondering on how the dog could be missing for a week when it went missing.
Other articles I've read give more detaila on that, plus unless I've missed it, the owner doesn't seem to be saying the shooting was malicious.
 
A farmer has every right to protect his livelihood, his rare breeds could be worth a lot of money to him, as a chicken and future chickens bred from it.

He sounds like he did what he could to chase them off, but as most know a one year old spaniel is a fast dog and would have been difficult to do.

It's a real shame it's happened, but just the same that the person walking them didn't take reasonable care.

As a answer to the previous comment regarding what he does for protection against foxes. My guess would be that he has pest control measures in place, and people given permission to dispatch the foxes, rats and any other vermin that might be a issue
 
srichards said:
Would have been better just to get the cost of replacement hens from the owner. They're only hens. Killing two dogs for the sake of a few birds seems excessive. If they're that easy to get at what does the farmer do about foxes?
.
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And he'd have identified the owner how exactly ? given that the dogs were running loose and away from their person. Also according to the write up the hrens were basically family pets that had been hand reared by his 5 year old.

foxes don't generally run into a farm yard in broad day light - I'd imagine the hens are shut away at night
 
The question is really did the Farmer get a bit gun happy (seen to many Terminator movies LOL).The law does say" Section 9 of the Animals Act if they believe it is the only reasonable way of stopping it worrying livestock. Did he "believe it was he only reasonable way"? a spaniel is not a pit bull terrier.
 
shapeshifter said:
Did he "believe it was he only reasonable way"? a spaniel is not a pit bull terrier.
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I think Marc covered that quite eloquently. (quoted below)
A dog doesn't need to be a so called dangerous breed, to be dangerous to livestock/ other dogs or small children.

fabs said:
I know a Rottweiler who is more likely to lick you to death than bite you and a Jack Russell who'd quite happily tear livestock a new one!
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srichards said:
Would have been better just to get the cost of replacement hens from the owner. They're only hens. Killing two dogs for the sake of a few birds seems excessive. If they're that easy to get at what does the farmer do about foxes?

They were only spaniels not enormous killing machines. Farmer sounds inept.
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Really?????
 
Cobra said:
I think Marc covered that quite eloquently. (quoted below)
A dog doesn't need to be a so called dangerous breed, to be dangerous to livestock/ other dogs or small children.
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But was it "the only REASONABLE way"? People get guns in their hands and can go funny .Some Farmers I have come across in the past are just looking for a reason to take issue with "Townies" They seem to feel threaten all the time.
 
shapeshifter said:
But was it "the only REASONABLE way"? People get guns in their hands and can go funny .Some Farmers I have come across in the past are just looking for a reason to take issue with "Townies" They seem to feel threaten all the time.
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I wasn't there so don't know.
But all he has to do is justify it in his own mind.

As for the townie v farmer comment, that's a whole new thread.
 
Cobra said:
I wasn't there so don't know.
But all he has to do is justify it in his own mind.

As for the townie v farmer comment, that's a whole new thread.
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Isn't it just :) though my experience of farmers has nothing to do with a dislike of townies it has to do with a dislike of anyone who doesn't have respect for the countryside
 
shapeshifter said:
But was it "the only REASONABLE way"? People get guns in their hands and can go funny .Some Farmers I have come across in the past are just looking for a reason to take issue with "Townies" They seem to feel threaten all the time.
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Well, if a dog is attacking your livestock, I don't think attempting negotiation with the animal is going to yield particularly favourable results but you're welcome to try should you ever find yourself in that situation in the future. ;)

As for the current topic of conversation, we have no reason to believe the farmer was doing anything other than protecting his livestock.
 
shapeshifter said:
But was it "the only REASONABLE way"? People get guns in their hands and can go funny .Some Farmers I have come across in the past are just looking for a reason to take issue with "Townies" They seem to feel threaten all the time.
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I'm sure someone with more knowledge on this will correct me if I am wrong, but it's not like on TV where the farmer grabs a loaded gun leaning against a wall and runs out the door, the gun has to be kept in a secure locked cupboard and ammo in a separate place.


srichards said:
Hen that died was closer to a pet. It makes mention of it being hand reared by the child.
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It does state that it was a poultry farm so is he supposed to wait till the dog starts killing more chickens ?
 
Gremlin said:
I'm sure someone with more knowledge on this will correct me if I am wrong, but it's not like on TV where the farmer grabs a loaded gun leaning against a wall and runs out the door, the gun has to be kept in a secure locked cupboard and ammo in a separate place.




It does state that it was a poultry farm so is he supposed to wait till the dog starts killing more chickens ?
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Sort of. Guns and rifles are required to be in approved secure storage when not in use. Ammo for rifles has to be locked away in a separate place, ammo for shotguns doesn't and there are normally half a dozen cartridges in the pocket.
There are a huge number of farmers who have a shotgun over their shoulder or in the tractor cab at all times while they're working. When Mr. Fox comes calling, there's no time to waste.
 
Cheers Gary, knew someone would know the regs (y)

Still highly unlikely to have a loaded gun lying around the place with his grandchildren there
 
Gremlin said:
Cheers Gary, knew someone would know the regs (y)

Still highly unlikely to have a loaded gun lying around the place with his grandchildren there
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I hope he wouldn't - but from what I know of farmers...

There are normally a few cartridges kept in the pocket - unlike rifle cartridges they aren't in the least delicate, it takes maybe 2 seconds to load, some people are much faster than that.
 
Garry Edwards said:
There are a huge number of farmers who have a shotgun over their shoulder or in the tractor cab at all times while they're working. When Mr. Fox comes calling, there's no time to waste.
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Delving into the realms of fantasy there Corporal Jones.
 
4wd said:
Delving into the realms of fantasy there Corporal Jones.
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I think not. We do actually have a couple of farms in N. Yorks you know... I don't farm myself, but do my best to help out with vermin control on my son's farm.

Used to keep free range hens, but fox won that fight. At lambing time in particular there is a massive problem with both crow and fox. There are also occasional problems with domestic dogs, although we have never had to shoot one yet and hope that we never do.

Speaking of which, and back on topic, there is a requirement to notify the police if a farmer shoots a dog, within 48 hours. I don't know how often that happens, but I suspect that most of the dogs just get quietly buried.
 
My Uncle used to keep his shotgun loaded by his his bed every night,when i strayed their i used to have share his room,god help me if i went need the shotgun :eek:
 
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Well I can't think of a single sighting of a farmer with a gun in a tractor cab (sounds risky).
Let alone "carrying one around while working".
The estate gamekeepers have them though, and some would mistake them for farmers due to silly hats and tendency to wear tweedy archaic garments.
You may be thinking of a different sort of farmer to me (and I am one)
 
simonblue said:
My Uncle used to keep his shotgun loaded by his his bed every night,when i strayed their i used to have share his room,god help me if i went need the shotgun :eek:
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Then I'm sorry to say it, but your uncle is/was an idiot.
 
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