Dogs and leads - the law?

Ellies_mum2

Ellies_mum2

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As title really?


I thought dogs had to be on leads unless in designated areas? What about walking through fields with livestock in?

The reason I ask is because someone in the village where my yard is 'allowed' their dog to attack and kill at least one of the YM's geese :( I say 'allowed' as it was off lead. Needless to say YM is rather upset by this happening


Do geese even count as livestock?
 
Dogs have to be under control but not necessarily on leads in public.

I have no idea if geese are considered livestock but clearly the dog was not under control and if you know who the owner is I would ask for compensation!
 
I think geese do count, and YM should certainly get compensation, not that it will replace her goose. I have had chickens killed by dogs and have been given money but it doesn't replace the original bird.
Dogs don't have to be on a lead, but should be under cotrol.
I would report it to the dog warden, at least then the owner will get a visit or a phone call which might make them sit up and think.
 
Don't know who the dog owner is but YM is definitely unhappy about the loss of his birds. He got the geese last year and the plan was to fatten them up etc and sell for Xmas. Being the softy he is he still had the geese as he couldn't kill them. He had given them all names

We can't say to people you can't walk your dogs here as there is a public footpath running through all our fields. Most of the time there is no problem but every so often something like this happens :(
 
One of the dogs belonging to a lady in our village killed someones chickens when it was off lead. The chickens' owner reported it to the police even though the lady had offered to pay for the chickens. I know the police did go round to see the dog owner but think it was settled amicably with the dog owner paying for the chickens. It would be worth reporting - and maybe you should up up signs on the footpath saying all dogs should be on leads?
 
Thing about footpaths is that the dog aslo has to be on it. The owner to be on the footpath and the dog in the next county - or even field - is not acceptable or allowed.
Keep your eyes peeled, did anyone see the dog so you know what it looks like?
 
Dogs on a footpath have to be on the footpath not the field surrounding it. Off a footpath they shouldn't be there. In both cases the dog must be on a lead or under close control. Unfortunately that isn't well defined but to me means either touching the owner or within grabbing distance or if not, so obedient and well trained that it returns to heel immediately whatever it is confronted with. Which is a long way from most dog walker behaviou.

The fact that this dog has killed livestock (which farmed geese are) is in itself evidence that it was NOT under close control.

Unless the owner compensates generously for the dead stock and makes changes to the way and places they walk their dog, I would be reporting it to the police as livestock worrying. Partly so that if next time they kill a sheep or attack a horse, the police will have it on record and the owner will not be able to claim that it was totally out of character and he's never done anything like this before.....
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Dogs on a footpath have to be on the footpath not the field surrounding it. Off a footpath they shouldn't be there. In both cases the dog must be on a lead or under close control. Unfortunately that isn't well defined but to me means either touching the owner or within grabbing distance or if not, so obedient and well trained that it returns to heel immediately whatever it is confronted with. Which is a long way from most dog walker behaviou.

The fact that this dog has killed livestock (which farmed geese are) is in itself evidence that it was NOT under close control.

Unless the owner compensates generously for the dead stock and makes changes to the way and places they walk their dog, I would be reporting it to the police as livestock worrying. Partly so that if next time they kill a sheep or attack a horse, the police will have it on record and the owner will not be able to claim that it was totally out of character and he's never done anything like this before.....
Click to expand...

^^^^
This, I'd report it too if it happened to me.
 
There was a witness but unfortunately they were unabale to do anything apart from see that the dog was either a black lab or an undocked Doberman ( cross possibly) and hear it being called Charlie. No description of the owner other than that they ran in the direction of the village.


I do realise this all sounds suspicious and as though I do know who it is but I don't have any facts other than those I have stated here
 
Brave dog! Sorry for your YMs goose we have geese at our yard and i don't think any dog would come off better in an attack. Maybe because we have goose and gander so he is very protective and happy to attack anything even people and it hurts.
I think you could report to police but unless you know person or dog then not much they can do. I doubt the person will go your way again or if they do will keep on lead and prob use diff name for dog.
Also a black dog with long tail could be a large number of cross breeds really
 
I have always had geese to graze and compliment my ponies, also they make good guards and humans tend not to climb into the field with geese there. However several times uncontrolled dogs have come onto our land from an adjoining footpath and killed my geese, once when my young granddaughter was watching she was so upset.

The owner called his dog and ran away without even apologising. :mad:

It is worth reporting, someone who has so little control of their dog, will not be able to control it round other livestock and it may do further damage.
 
I would report. However I have seen when out hacking with my dog that our local farmers have sheep fencing around all their fields which does stop dogs getting in as well. I was heartily grateful for that as thought I would have to get off my horse and lead my dog past. We also seem to have fields clearly marked when stock is in there, again massively helpful as obviously we won't go through fields when the dogs are with us.
 
Law stipulates that dogs need to be under control, and a dog can be on a lead but out of control...how many of us have seen people being dragged around by their dogs? Equally I know of plenty of obedient dogs that owners are fully in control of but off lead.
 
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