Help, Lurchers trespassing in my horses field!

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HelsB

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I have posted this in NL too but wanted some help from dog owners point of view, I am a dog owner myself with a very well behaved staffy who we have worked really hard in his training, but obviously being a horse owner myself I have made even more of an effort to make sure he is well behaved around horses!

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!!
 
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).
 
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Next time you speak to them say that it is the last warning and the next time you will contact the local authorities .

Either the dogs or your horses will get hurt. Also tell them that any injuries found on your horses that need a vet then the bill will be sent to them.

There is no reason for the dogs not to be kept under control.

Another thing you can do is put a strip of electric tape lower enough that it catches the dogs as they go throw the fence.
 
Very annoying, perhaps next time catch them and hold onto them until the owner comes looking for them. Make your point that next time you will take action of ringing the local warden.
TBH you could do with your horse giving them a fright but at the same time, they're not going to gang up on your horse and chase him, he's far too big for them to get ideas about that. I can't actually let our own dogs (mostly lurchers) into the field with my horses (mostly youngsters) as they will chase them out and because they are so laid back they only go so far in front of them so I'm always worried that my filly would actually stamp on them as she does mean it and it's not an easy thing to stop although if the dogs are on the yard, she doesn't take a blind bit of notice of them, they can be around her and she doesn't bother but in her field is another matter.
 
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I said this in NL, but we have stock fenced the perimeter of ours fields, purely to keep dog walkers dogs from running all over and cr***ing in our fields. There is nothing more revolting than having to pick dog **** out of your horses feet!

The stock fencing is brilliant, and is easy to attach onto post and rail. All your problems will be solved, and you could ask the neighbours to chip in if you feel that they are the sole reason you are having to errect it.
 
I have stock fencing in my paddocks, but tbh its not good for horses, they can get their feet through it, you need smaller mesh.
My lurcher used to chase my horses a lot, she almost just coludn't help herself, eventually she learned not to but not until after she made them all jump out the field one day. I feel sorry for you, what a PITA.
 
We now think that the house owners are away and so cannot get hold of them to tell them there is still a problem with their sister's dogs.

So.....I have reported them to my local dog warning who will write to them and warn them! They have also asked me to keep a log, including photo's if possible!

I may also ask some other kind neighbours to log what they see as these people have upset them over various things too and they are around all day as retired!!
 
Shoot one of them ( it is "worrying, as in concerning" your stock!)........ they will soon get the other under control....if not shoot that too!.

But do remember to inform the police of your actions.
 
Why did the dog warden not pick them up, tbh our local dog warden can hardly write his own name, never mind a letter.
If it were me, I would catch hold of them, put them in a stable and phone the dog warden to come and pick them up, assuming it is legal, I have no idea if laws on private land are the same as in public places, I know it used to be an offence to let a dog mess if on a lead but not if free!
I would not guarantee the dogs would never chase a horse, I saw a Great Dane eyeing up my foal, believe me dogs are pack animals by nature, and lurchers are only a few steps removed from deerhounds, staghounds, and bloodhounds.
 
I, too, would pick them up and put them somewhere safe. Ring the dog warden and give them some old flannel about how the dogs nearly caused an RTA etc etc. Maybe paying £80 for the dogs return, should give the owners cause for thought.

Spook - Thank God most reasonable people think with their brains.
 
Agreed - best idea. And it is the owners fault, not the lurchers. My farrier and saddler both have lurchers who run over the yard - and neither would either dream of chasing the horses. (now my staffie boy is another matter entirely - farriers lurcher loves to tease him with a "catch me if you can"! and my staffie is quick!)
 
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