Help -Dogs repeadedly trespassing on my horse's field

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HelsB

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I have a problem with one of my neighbours not keeping her 2 lurchers under control. They repeatedly go over onto my field, cr*pping on it, chasing (their) chickens on it, and have now started to go in the paddock where my horse is.

They are only about 5 or 6 months old so getting bigger all the time, and now getting braver around my horse, who up until now has not given them anything to chase, but I am concerned that now they are getting bigger and braver they will chase him anyway.

My hubby and I have repeatedly gone round there and called to ask them to keep their dogs under control, they actually belong to the lady's sister who is living with them presently. They are always very polite and promise to do something, and then it is exactly the same again the next day!!

I want to get a youngster so my boy has some company, and so that he is allowed to retire one day, I daren't while I still have this problem!

My question is, what are my rights (if any)?! I need something to threaten these people with as asking nicely, offering to help with their fencing, and giving my dog training lady's number out (!) hasn't worked! They don't come to her call.

HELP!!
 
aside from kidnapping them for a couple of hours (which usually puts the wind up someone enough to get them to take note) then after speaking to her and advising her that one kick from your horse could quite easily kill both her dogs and beside the point it is on your property, and if that doesnt work then contact a local dog warden if you have one or then exersizing your right to protect your livestock. Its really sad you are in this situ.
 
How irritating! Second calling the local dog warden for advice (you should be able to get their number off the local councils' website). You could also run a line of electric fencing with a low (dog height) strand - a good wallop from that might put them off (although if they're clever like my little brat they'll work out how to get around instead:mad: Not that he's allowed to go off harrassing horses you understand, but he gets into empty fields and poo picks them!).
 
Spudlet said:
How irritating! Second calling the local dog warden for advice (you should be able to get their number off the local councils' website). You could also run a line of electric fencing with a low (dog height) strand - a good wallop from that might put them off (although if they're clever like my little brat they'll work out how to get around instead:mad: Not that he's allowed to go off harrassing horses you understand, but he gets into empty fields and poo picks them!).
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lol.
 
ThePinkPony said:
or then exersizing your right to protect your livestock.
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So what are my 'rights' - I was thinking it was only livestock such as sheep you could shoot a dog for worrying?

Not likely to go down this route of course, I am a dog owner/lover! Just need to know what I can threaten!! Houseowner (dog pwner's sister) is a lawyer BTW!!
 
ThePinkPony said:
lol.
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He's also worked out that if he runs under the post and rail fencing, I can go and get him, so he comes back, but I can't get over or under the electric fencing when it's switched on (there's a very low bottom strand and a high top strand) so he can safely ignore me:mad:

Mind you, he didn't half jump when the fence was switched off one time and I rolled under it and went after him:D

He's far too clever by half!
 
HelsB said:
So what are my 'rights' - I was thinking it was only livestock such as sheep you could shoot a dog for worrying?

Not likely to go down this route of course, I am a dog owner/lover! Just need to know what I can threaten!! Houseowner (dog pwner's sister) is a lawyer BTW!!
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You'd have to double-check, but as far as I know livestock includes horses for the purposes of this bit of law and therefore you could shoot them, in theory.
 
If you own a gun and the relevant licensing then you have the right to shoot the dogs (but do look into it a bit deeper for your own sakes)

obviously you wouldnt want to have to act this way, i dont know anyone who would, but if things come to it then its worth mentioning to your neighbour, reminding her that of course you wouldnt want to but the value of your horse is paramount. i would also lay down the law and say if this persons dogs are still bothering your animals after this chat then s/he will become liable for any vets bills incurred from your horse hurting itself by being chased. (i would possibly be a bit economical with the truth with regards to insurance, maybe spin a bit of a weave that because you are aware the dogs are about it defaults your policy...its not true but it may be worth it to scare this person into controlling his dog)

Good luck, this is one of the most annoying things.
 
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

Under this Act, you could be fined up to £1,000 for breaching dog control orders. Local authorities can make orders for standard offences including: failing to remove dog faeces, not keeping a dog on a lead, not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so, permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded and taking more than a specified number of dogs on to land.

Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953

Your dog must not worry (chase or attack) livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses and poultry) on agricultural land, so keep your dog on a lead around livestock. If your dog worries livestock, the farmer has the right to stop your dog (even by shooting your dog in certain circumstances).

Dogs Act 1871

It is a civil offence if a dog is dangerous (to people or animals) and not kept under proper control (generally regarded as not on a lead nor muzzled). This law can apply wherever the incident happened. The dog can be subject to a control or a destruction order and you may have to pay costs.

The Control of Dogs Order 1992

This mandates that any dog in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a tag. Your telephone number is optional (but advisable).
 
Very quietly and nicely advise your neighbour that you will be getting some sheep and that you are aware that sheep are attractive toys for dogs. Further advise your neighbour that the person who owns the sheep will have no qualms about shooting any dogs seen worrying the sheep so it would be in their best interests to dogproof their land now.

I know that sheep and horses are both classed as livestock, but the chances are your neighbour may not, your neighbour is also aware that the dogs haven't chased your horse but probably won't want to risk their reaction to sheep
 
I have very much the same problem and has been the
Last yr and half
Again I acted very much the same , go round and asking politely to keep dogs to there boundaries
Day or so later it happens again
I have done many things I'n trying to resolve this
Even a call from the police actually did nothing and also getting the dog and handing it to the dog warden
And did nothing but return dog with a telling off
But again this hasn't solved the problem
The only option would be to shot the dog , but again I don't won't to do it as its not the dogs fault , It Amazes me how people have these animals but can't be reasonable for them
 
I did think about the sheep idea, another neighbour has two sheep (and a shotgun!) I wonder if they need any extra grazing?! Thing is that making the fencing sheep proof would probably stop the dogs coming over anyway, an would be expensive!
 
ischa said:
I have very much the same problem and has been the
Last yr and half
Again I acted very much the same , go round and asking politely to keep dogs to there boundaries
Day or so later it happens again
I have done many things I'n trying to resolve this
Even a call from the police actually did nothing and also getting the dog and handing it to the dog warden
And did nothing but return dog with a telling off
But again this hasn't solved the problem
The only option would be to shot the dog , but again I don't won't to do it as its not the dogs fault , It Amazes me how people have these animals but can't be reasonable for them
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OMG I hope I don't have this much trouble!!
 
Thank you for posting this thread.

I have exactly the same problem and contacted the BHS Legal hotline on Friday (they were of some help). I was told that the dogs are trespassing on my land and if they cause any damage to my property or horses then the dog owner is responsible for the costs.
I went round and spoke to the owner on Sunday morning, all very polite and he apologised, showed me the high fencing he had installed etc etc etc, i also explained that he would be liable for any damage caused by his dog to my horses and property.
But lets face it, none of us want it to get this far. It is very frustrating as it is a beautiful dog but once they get the taste for escaping and running off it is difficult to train it out of them :mad:

But i have to say i did not realise that horses were classified as livestock and that i could legally shoot the dog under certain circumstances, not that i want to do that :eek:
 
For just under a hundred pounds you can get electric sheep netting (about 50 yards of it). This would stop them coming through, but not over. It may be worth looking at.
 
Dab said:
Thank you for posting this thread.

I have exactly the same problem and contacted the BHS Legal hotline on Friday (they were of some help). I was told that the dogs are trespassing on my land and if they cause any damage to my property or horses then the dog owner is responsible for the costs.
I went round and spoke to the owner on Sunday morning, all very polite and he apologised, showed me the high fencing he had installed etc etc etc, i also explained that he would be liable for any damage caused by his dog to my horses and property.
But lets face it, none of us want it to get this far. It is very frustrating as it is a beautiful dog but once they get the taste for escaping and running off it is difficult to train it out of them :mad:

But i have to say i did not realise that horses were classified as livestock and that i could legally shoot the dog under certain circumstances, not that i want to do that :eek:
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You could recommend an electric training collar for the dog. They are a great training aid. You basically run a special perimeter wire around the area you want I contain the dog and the dog wears a collar with a battery in it. When the dog gets within a foot of the wire (boundary) the collar beeps to warn the dog then if they get any closer it gives them a small shock. Usually after a couple of shocks the dog soon learns that when they hear the beep they need to move back!

I have known some fantastic results with these and after a few shocks they never get near enough to let it happen again :)
 
YorksG said:
For just under a hundred pounds you can get electric sheep netting (about 50 yards of it). This would stop them coming through, but not over. It may be worth looking at.
Click to expand...
Hmmm they are great big lurchers, and they get out of their garden onto farmers field then into mine, so would need one heck of a lot to do my 3 acres and then to find that they jump it anyway :(
 
Horses24-7 said:
You could recommend an electric training collar for the dog. They are a great training aid. You basically run a special perimeter wire around the area you want I contain the dog and the dog wears a collar with a battery in it. When the dog gets within a foot of the wire (boundary) the collar beeps to warn the dog then if they get any closer it gives them a small shock. Usually after a couple of shocks the dog soon learns that when they hear the beep they need to move back!

I have known some fantastic results with these and after a few shocks they never get near enough to let it happen again :)
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I like this idea!
 
We use to have this problem in a village we use to live in. Neighbour thought it was funny to let her Rotty chase her sister-in-laws horse in a field up from our horses. Came down past our horse's fields one day and her dog ended up in the field with the stallion. As I was shouting at her to get her dog out stallion took matters into his own feet and proceeded to chase her dog. You should have seen her face when she saw our stallions feet come down either side of her dog's head. Needless to say said dog was kept under control after that.
 
I sympathise with this. I call my fields the local 'public dog toilet', it's that bad. Despite 1000s of acres of right to roam land on their doorstep, the locals think it's quite ok to let their dogs roam my fields and crap on it. Lately I'm finding dog toys from the latest moron to 'escape the towns'. So far I've thrown them into his garden, but I shall start binning them from now (he's had two chances).

I have to be a little diplomatic, as they are my eyes and ears when I'm not there, plus it's not nice to be on bad terms with neighbours, but I get very frustrated, just like you. I might print out the above act and laminate it, although I'm quite sure that most visitors to my fields (there is a footpath through one) cannot read, judging by the ignorance of the 'Dogs must be kept on leads' notice.
 
i would first tell not to left her dogs on your field.
also electric sheep wire or garden mesh fencing i do this as the footpath comes down our drive any dog poo i find on our drive/ car park bushes i put just inside the footpath so they have to walk over it serves them right
give her a warning that if it keeps happening you will put wire round so they cant get in and report her to police.

also say any dog cr*p you find will be deposited back in her garden
you do not want to pick horses feet up and find dog much on your hands

tell her if your horses kick and kill the dogs then she only has herself to blame


def attach some sore to fencing on to your existing fencing
i wouldnt tolerate this
 
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we sometimes get dogs through our fields. never seen any when our own dogs are at the yard with us mind, but i think dogs learn pretty fast not to go in the fields with our horses. My mare will chase dogs and our big retired chap will run them down aswell.
Recently we had a mini shetland stallion who would not hesitate to truly attack dogs (he was tormented by them when he was younger).

you may find your horse would tell the dogs to p off with a well placed kick should they get too bold, but it's best to take action so it does not come to that. there's been some good advice so far
 
I wish my horse would kick them, I think borrowing a known dangerous-to-dogs pony may help my cause.....free livery in Suffolk anyone?!!

I have printed off the acts (thankyou!!) and will laminate them and put signs up in visible positions from their garden!

Waiting to hear from Hubby when he has got them on the phone too, see what they say this time!
 
If you google 'livestock worrying' you will get a link to a pdf & this is what I've copied & sent to you below. It tells you exactly what the law is & what can be done.

WORRYING LIVESTOCK BY DOGS
Most dog owners are responsible but a few don’t keep their pets under control and landowners/farmers often report incidents of livestock worrying. The definition of 'livestock' under The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 includes cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and poultry. Game birds are not included. However,
for the purposes of civil proceedings under the Animals Act 1971 it includes pheasants, partridges and grouse in captivity.
‘Worrying’ is where a dog attacks or chases livestock in such a way that it could reasonably be expected to cause injury or suffering to it, or, in the case of female livestock, abortion, or the loss or diminution of their produce. Legislation Governing Worrying of Sheep and other livestock
The main legislation governing worrying of livestock is:
• The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953
• The Animals Act 1971

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953
Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 it is a criminal offence for a dog to be at large, (i.e. not on a lead) or otherwise under close control, in a field of sheep. Sheep dogs, police dogs, guide dogs, working gun dogs or a pack of hounds (in Scotland “a dog lawfully used to hunt”) are exempted from this provision.
It is also a criminal offence (for which the owner of a dog - and anyone else under whose control the dog is at the time can be prosecuted) if a dog worries livestock on agricultural land.
An offence is not committed if;
a. at the time of the worrying the livestock were trespassing, or;
b. the dog belonged to the owner of the land on which the trespassing livestock were, and;
the person in charge of the dog did not cause the dog to attack the livestock.

The Animals Act 1971
This Act places civil liability for damages done by a dog on the keeper of the dog. This includes damage by killing or injuring livestock. The keeper of a dog (for the purposes of this Act) is the owner or the person in possession of, the dog. If the owner/keeper is under the Age of 16 the head of the household is liable. The keeper of the dog is not, however, liable where;
a. the damage is due wholly to the fault of the person suffering it, or;
b. if the livestock were killed or injured on land onto which they had strayed and either the dog belonged to the occupier or its presence was authorised by the occupier.
This Act protects farmers from legal action for killing or injuring a dog that is worrying or about to worry sheep or other livestock. This is because the Act provides a defence against legal proceedings if the person killing or injuring the dog had no other means to stop or prevent the worrying or where the dog that had done the worrying was still in the vicinity and not under control and there were no practicable means of establishing ownership. Therefore if a dog is unaccompanied in a field with sheep (or other livestock), and without the landowner’s consent, the farmer is legally able to shoot 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. The killing of any dog must be reported to the police within 48 hours.

Dogs and trespass
A dog owner is liable under civil legislation if he or she deliberately sends a dog on to another person's land in pursuit of game. A civil offence is also committed if a dog owner allows a dog to roam at large in the knowledge that it is likely to kill game. No entry on the land by the owner of the dog is necessary in order for the proceedings to
succeed. If a dog strays onto land of its own without permission but does no more, its owner is not liable under civil law for trespass; Under civil law it is likely that the dog's owner would be liable for any damage which it is in the nature of a dog to commit.

Advice to Dog Owners and Dog Walkers
Dog Owners, whether they live rurally or are simply visiting the countryside for a walk, have a responsibility to keep their pets under control at all times. All dogs should be on a close lead when walking anywhere near livestock. Even the most loving family pet can become a menace when away from its owner’s control and encountering a flock of sheep. Dogs caught worrying sheep are liable to be shot, even though farmers are reluctant to do this except as a last resort, and their owners liable to prosecution and heavy costs.

Advice to Landowners and Farmers
Using a rifle to shoot a dog worrying livestock may end up in more trouble than expected. Firearm Certificates bind the use of your firearms by additional conditions, which usually only permit their use on specific game and pest species or for target shooting. The police will rarely agree to add suitable conditions to allow the shooting of dogs when there is a requirement, as they feel they will be open to criticism. Subsequently if you are faced with shooting a dog with a firearm you may be prosecuted for failing to comply with your certificate conditions. The police should not be prosecuting cases
where the Animals Act defence applies, and where the decision to shoot the dog was in extremis i.e. a last resort in difficult circumstances. Please note that there are no additional conditions attached to shotgun certificates. Where shotguns are employed
care must be taken to use them at a sensible range so not to wound dogs unnecessarily.
ENQUIRIES TO: FIREARMS DEPT – 01244 573010
e-mail: firearms@basc.org.uk
© August 2009

Good Luck
:)
 
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Put my horse in your field. He hates dogs after he was chased and one was threatening to bite him. Now if any go near him he will chase them or try jump on them :o.
We have dog walkers tracks both sides of where my boy is and after he nearly killed a spaniel, after I told the owner he would, people have been more carefull. Only thing is he is fine with jack russels or any thing that size.
 
Cant you shoot the owners, "Pedantic 1892 law and land order keeping chavy dog owners under control", any chavs with chav animals causing chavvyness in a public place can be shot, :rolleyes:
 
My mare injured her stifle very badly after slipping in dog poo in her own field :(
I never found out who it was as so many walkers let them run in our fields

I had many years of arguing with the walkers that the dogs should not be in the field, it was not safe, not all horses like dogs, etc .... I run a herd of approx 30 and these guys just let their dogs run amok, it's madness! Then they'll say to me My dog doesn't bite! Well, when the horses can turn nasty, esp when there are so many of them!

.... one day came along a new livery with a 16.3hh TB gelding. I was awoken by screams a few days later. The usual morning dog walkers were screaming, trying to get between the gelding and two dogs. One dog died, the other was so broken it cost £7000 to put her right. I was devastated for the dogs as I do love them, but I had said sooooo many times that they shouldn't be on private land :( No dogs on the land since that day nearly 5 years ago - apparently bad news travels fast.
 
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