Any sheep farmers on here, urgent advice needed

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Dolcé

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(could be relevant to horse owners too TFC)

regarding the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, has anyone seen a dog owner prosecuted under this act, if so I need urgent information please pm me as I am not sure I can post details on a public forum.

Also serving Police officers may be able to advise.
 
How frustrating!

Have you had a fatality?

I live on a sheep farm but know sod all about any of the acts.

I'll speak to the farmer tomorrow, he's pretty wise with this sort of things.
 
yes, a very nasty one, not a sheep but covered by same acts, apparently the police don't know anything about the acts either and one even told me 'that is what dogs do there is nothing we can do'
 
martlin said:
I've had sheep worried last year by a hound, had a few dead lambs... what do you want to know?
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I need to know about the powers the police have to prosecute as so far I am being fobbed off and bullshitted by a 12 yo copper! Every time I show him up to be wrong he just makes something else up, afraid he has received the full force of my emotional state following having to pick up bits of body! I just need to know that the act stated is available for use by police WITHOUT permission from the chief constable (who apparently won't give it despite not having being asked)
 
Found this

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act of 1953 is a British Act devised to protect livestock from dogs. The Act outlines punishment of dog owners whose dogs worry livestock on agricultural land. Protected livestock is defined as cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and domestic poultry. Game birds are specifically excluded.

So, the owner can be prosecuted if it was on your land.

Proving it is another matter.

What about persuing it under the Dangerous Dog Act?

OH has told me the farmer had tried to persue something along the same lines but to no avail :(
 
newtothis said:
it depends if you have caught the dog thats done it. you need to be a bit more specific hun, take it from the top.
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Sorry, am determined to push this to prosecution so trying not to put too many details on. Yes, attack was witnessed by hubby (on our private land) but he was more concerned about the in bits but still live animal and getting it to the vets. Owner had grabbed dog as hubby got to animal and said he would pay vets bill. Reported it because he has been warned several times about out of control dog and want the court to impose an order on him to keep dog under control, it is not personal or revenge and I intend seeking compensation but that is certainly not an immediate issue, the worry is the dog has a taste, lives just off the fields and is likely to make a beeline if it gets free again. The owner has a habit of leaving dog and returning home when it runs away.

1st police officer told me they wouldnt get involved and to call rspca if I was concerned as unfortunately that is what dogs do..............

phoned again and gave them the name of the relevant act and complained about original duff info given...........

Officer came to see me, told me act was no longer in force, he was talking about the wrong act.......

Then he told me chances are they wouldn't prosecute and I should take out a civil request for a court order to control the dog

Then he told me I was correct with the act but unfortunately they needed the permission of CC to use it and wouldn't request it..........

I am still awaiting a call from his sergeant who I suspect is waiting for me to cool down!

Basically, picking up bits of an animal you have had since birth is simply not important!
 
we had a few sheep killings on the estate, one particularly horrific one that literally left me in floods to see the pain.

but its a footpath and dozens of people walk along it every day, not much you can do to prove, we always seemed to get there too late.
 
im so sorry to hear that. and i see exactly where you are coming from, it may not have been something i watched give birth, but a ewe with half its face and rear ripped off and just left there... makes you sick.

have you made a police report and got the owner to make a statement?
could you contact countryside alliance or such organisation for legal advice?

i think you really need to push it. you are right about the dog having a taste. its always been very clear in my family that once a dog starts livestock worrying, thats the end of it and quite rightly so.

there must be a legal organisation that can help you, or at least offer advice.
 
newtothis said:
im so sorry to hear that. and i see exactly where you are coming from, it may not have been something i watched give birth, but a ewe with half its face and rear ripped off and just left there... makes you sick.

have you made a police report and got the owner to make a statement?
could you contact countryside alliance or such organisation for legal advice?

i think you really need to push it. you are right about the dog having a taste. its always been very clear in my family that once a dog starts livestock worrying, thats the end of it and quite rightly so.

there must be a legal organisation that can help you, or at least offer advice.
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Yep, report made, for what it is worth, owner has admitted it, it is all a bloody joke, if I don't get any joy I will be making an official complaint and going to the papers about the ridiculous information I have been given!
 
involving the press would probably be a good idea if the police are dragging their heels.

and i would also make an official complaint. mind you if i saw the dog anywhere on my property again id make sure i had my gun on me, because thats legal too.. oh the irony!

i hope you can work it out... maybe CA or BASC for legal advice, i think you should persue that so you have an experts veiw on things.
 
You are legally allowed to shoot the dog if caught in the act. Maybe that is your only option if the dog becomes a serial offender. Or at least warn the owner that if it happens again the dog will be shot - might be enough to persuade them to take a little more care...

''The law presently states that if a dog is unaccompanied in a field with sheep, and without the landowner’s consent, farmers are legally protected in shooting the dog on the spot. Likewise, if all reasonable attempts to restrain the dog have been taken the farmer is equally justified in shooting the dog.

Worrying livestock is defined as:

1.
attacking livestock; or
2.
causing it injury or suffering or, in the case of females, abortion or loss of, or injury to, their offspring through being chased; or
3.
not being on a lead or under close control, in a sheep field or enclosure.

You can shoot any dog worrying livestock if:

1. the dog is worrying (see the definition above) or is about to worry the livestock and there are no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying; or
2. the dog has been worrying livestock, has not left the vicinity, and is not under the control of any person and there are no practical means of ascertaining to whom it belongs.

However you must be able to prove that shooting the dog was necessary to protect your livestock and that you reported the incident to the police within 48 hours.''

Here's a PDF of the legalities of it all

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&so...sg=AFQjCNE_higbTArkSLThmX5SfCg3yDancA&cad=rja
 
If you get no joy from the sargeant, ring the none emergency number and ask to speak to the duty inspetor. This may take some persistance and will, no doubt mean that you have to tell the switch board opperator, that, 1. no I will not discuss this with you, 2)Yes I do mean the duty insperctor, 3. yes now!
I had to do this recently, nothing to do with livestock, was needing police assistance to get a man who was detained uinder the mental health act from A&E in one hospital (public place) to a psychiatric hospital, was given the brush off, the run around and the 'we don't think the wording of the act means that'. Fortunately for me and the chap I was sufficiently persistant and quite prepared to keep on going up the ladder.
 
hang on, is this dog worrying livestock - in your early post you have said it is not worrying sheep. Has it actually attacked a wild animal? deer, rabbit, hare? in which case there is little i believe that the act covers and that you can do and the policeman is correct in that 'that is what dogs do' will apply. Or has it attacked horses, cows, llamas etc in which case they you can report it and they should act. Is it on a footpath - in which case it must be kept under control. Have you spoken to your local dog warden?
 
Ok, thanks everyone, this dog has attacked and mortally wounded one of my animals (that is covered under the 1953 act as livestock) I have reported it to the police and they are refusing to act despite the fact that the Dogs(Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 gives them the means to do so. The dog had left the owner who was on the public footpath, crossed through 2 fences onto private land and ignored the owners shouts to come back hence it was out of control. Regarding shooting, I will be applying for a shotgun licence, and in future, when a dog is trespassing on one of my fields (as the owners seem to think they can go where they want regardless) and is running around my horses away from the owner, it will be shot. I reckon I will only have to shoot one or two for the word to get around and people to be more careful. I am a dog lover so not a nice thought but.............. Or the police could do their job, put this bloke before the court, he will be given an order to control his dog in a public place or face a destruction order and when word gets around that we prosecute people who allow their dogs to injure our animals then people will be more careful! My head is boggling now from reading acts and trying to interpret what they mean, I will find a way to get a prosecution!
 
A friend of mines cat was killed by 2 lurchers a couple of weeks ago. This wasn't in the countryside, it was on a housing estate and they weren't on a lead. The police said they couldn't prosecute as cats come under different laws. The only difference now is that they have to wear muzzles for 6 months. If they had attacked and killed a dog the they would have been destroyed.
 
hch4971 said:
Ok, thanks everyone, this dog has attacked and mortally wounded one of my animals (that is covered under the 1953 act as livestock) I have reported it to the police and they are refusing to act despite the fact that the Dogs(Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 gives them the means to do so. The dog had left the owner who was on the public footpath, crossed through 2 fences onto private land and ignored the owners shouts to come back hence it was out of control. Regarding shooting, I will be applying for a shotgun licence, and in future, when a dog is trespassing on one of my fields (as the owners seem to think they can go where they want regardless) and is running around my horses away from the owner, it will be shot. I reckon I will only have to shoot one or two for the word to get around and people to be more careful. I am a dog lover so not a nice thought but.............. Or the police could do their job, put this bloke before the court, he will be given an order to control his dog in a public place or face a destruction order and when word gets around that we prosecute people who allow their dogs to injure our animals then people will be more careful! My head is boggling now from reading acts and trying to interpret what they mean, I will find a way to get a prosecution!
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? sooooo, what species of animal was it? not sure of why so cloak and dagger, it might help to know.
 
hch4971 said:
(could be relevant to horse owners too TFC)

regarding the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, has anyone seen a dog owner prosecuted under this act, if so I need urgent information please pm me as I am not sure I can post details on a public forum.

Also serving Police officers may be able to advise.
Click to expand...

if you are having killings then you are allowed to shoot the dog, cat fox whatever the predator is, a few miles from here a farmer has lost 19 ewes at the last count, so he had a gang with guns to shoot the dog, which was seen to be an alsatian type., not sure of the latest news on that.
 
Im really not trying to be cloak and dagger about it, I am determined to get a prosecution and I am just worried about putting recognisable info on a public forum if I manage to get my way!

I feel so disappointed in our so called police force, I cannot begin to understand how farmers that have to deal with this sort of thing often must feel! I think I can feel legal advice and a private prosecution coming on because I am determined he is not getting away with it!
 
Contact the NFU, surely they should know?

I caught a mastiff cross breed killing a neighbours ram last year. Owner was present but hysterical and said 'he wouldn't hurt a fly' Silly cow. The police came and took a statement from me but in the end they couldn't/wouldn't prosecute 'because the dog had a lead on although owner had let go of it' We are all waiting to see what they say when said dog attacks a child.. because it will happen.

Good luck and I hope you get some satisfaction.
 
Ha, may now be getting somewhere, have just phoned RSPCA, they have confirmed I am completely correct and that the police should be actioning a prosecution. I have just spoken to the officers station to make a complaint and someone will get back to me this afternoon, I spoke to an officer from another station earlier and he has told me exactly what I need to do if I don't get any joy over this so am now well armed (and have found another 2 acts that cover this and put the dog into 'dangerous dog' category!
 
I think there is a massive variation in the attitude of police officers in different areas of the country.

Around here we are lucky to have rural officers who tend to take this type of thing very seriously. Even so, I am not aware of any sheep worrying cases that have progressed to court; usually the dog is put down and compensation is paid for the loss of livestock, with or without police involvement.

Personally if my dog were to attack and kill any domestic or agricultural animal belonging to me or anyone else then it would be curtains. If the owner of the dog is not dealing with it in a responsible way then the police should get involved.

Might be worth enquiring regarding a rural officer as they would know more about this type of thing. Alternatively it might be worth checking if you get legal advice with your home insuranse/bhs membership etc, and speaking to a solicitor. If the animal concerned was classed as livestock then there may be other laws (criminal damage etc) that you could use to stir the police to action.

It makes you really furious doesn't it?
 
If you are a Gold member of the BHS you will be able to get free legal advice fromn a solicitor.

Also contact your local authority dog warden.

When my horse was attacked by a dog I contacted both the police and the local authority dog warden and they both visited th dogs owner and made it quite clear to him that the dog must be kept under control at all times and that if there where any more incidents they would prosecute him and have the dog put down.
 
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