Help me write a notice to keep interfering local out of my field

[Cinnamontoast]

The definition of criminal damage is that

'A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property belonging to another intending to destroy or damage any such property or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged shall be guilty of an offence.'

I'm not suggesting that you'd get a conviction, but if the police wanted to have words this guy he is damaging the OPs horse, which is legally just property. I'm pretty confidant agrivated tresspass doesnt need to be criminal damage and that causing the OP distress would count.

OH reckons you wouldn't get a conviction but worth a shot to frighten him. Aggravated!! (Missing my job, clearly!)

 

[Enfys]

PUBLIC Footpath here <

PRIVATE land here >

If it was my land I would actually go to the expense of putting stock wire or lots of electric fencing in. Then I'd put a load of donkeys or mules in the field. They would see the dogs off Oh, and my Goat, but not everyone has access to an enormous Guard Goat. They should

 

[windand rain]

I could lend you a lethal pony he would be unlikely to come out of the field unscathed and wouldnt be so inclined to go in again especially if he had a dog or two stomped on. Sorry couldnt resist I have been picking wheat ears out of the ponies field from the wheat field next door fortunately the pony in question is in a different field I dont fancy their chances if they come across him. He is very dangerous and is on a last warning for being PTS but I love him to bits so I take precautions to make sure no one goes too close

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

Tell him "I hope for your sake, you had gloves on when you pulled that ragwort up, as it's poisoness to humans too, as in it *******s up your liver"

 

[amage]

Call a meeting of your liveries, tell them to avoid that field for a few days....the connect electric fence to metal gate and hide in wait to wet yourself laughing!!!

 

[Enfys]

I am always so tempted to find where trespassers live then go and wander around THEIR garden.

 

[undergroundoli]

OH reckons you wouldn't get a conviction but worth a shot to frighten him. Aggravated!! (Missing my job, clearly!)

In my defense I'm dyslexic and my bf's computer, which I'm using, doesn't have the motzela spell check thing. Personally my big hate is people using 'so and so and I' when they mean 'so and so and me,' ARGGGGGGGGGG, so I sympathise with it anoying you.

 

[RunToEarth]

re the dogs - it is legal to shoot dogs that are bothering livestock - you wouldn't of course, but it might be worth mentioning that to him when you see him. If he's holding onto his leads it shouldn't be very easy for him to pick ragwort or feed ponies.

You are correct in that you are legally entitled to shoot dogs bothering livestock. Horses are in absolutely no way defined as livestock - the fall outside of any definition of agriculture and therefore if the OP stuck a sign up threatening to shoot dogs bothering her horses she is likely to be met with the local police's firearms department, providing of course she has a shotgun licence.

If you are sure there are no public rights of way where this guy is I would be having very strong words with him OP, we have a lot of issues with trespassing and I we have found our local police force invaluable. Ours have their own "rural" officers - they deal with poaching, trespass, hunting issues with antis and are incredibly useful - might be worth looking into.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Someone has suggested a "polite" notice which IMO says everything you need to say, if a bit wordy.

I'd be inclined to put up a simple notice saying something like "due to continued interference with the horses in this field by a dog-walker, the police have been informed and the situation will continue to be monitored. Please note: any dogs off the lead in the field may be fatally trampled by the horses and no responsibility can be taken".

That gives a very thinly veiled threat, is concise, and says that its being taken seriously.

PS dunno where you are but my loan mare will hoosh anything out of the field that shouldn't be there i.e. next door's runts, but is fine with my own dogs...............

 

[GlamourPuss86]

I'm sure i've read that horses are classed as livestock. Could you stick something in with them that IS classed as livestock so the threat to shoot stands? Wonder if having chickens on the yard would be enough...

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'm sure i've read that horses are classed as livestock. Could you stick something in with them that IS classed as livestock so the threat to shoot stands? Wonder if having chickens on the yard would be enough...

Hmmm yes, good idea this. All you need is half a dozen sheep say? That would do the trick, THEN you'd have every right to stick up a notice indicating that dogs caught worrying livestock are liable to be shot.

 

[RunToEarth]

I'm sure i've read that horses are classed as livestock. Could you stick something in with them that IS classed as livestock so the threat to shoot stands? Wonder if having chickens on the yard would be enough...

Unless they are kept for the purpose of ploughing fields solely for agriculture they fall outside of the livestock definition - that is why you need planning permission and have to pay business rates for more equine related activities. Not sure putting livestock in a field purely to threaten to shoot someone's dog is a good idea, perhaps he just need educating on life in the countryside.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

borrow a bull from the farmer and leave in the field for a few days.

Say how quick can you run to the gate??? the bull can do it in 10 seconds.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would make sure that ANY walker has to stick to the designated footpath, by putting so many strands of electric fencing up (with the correct signage) that neither walkers nor dogs could get through it. Footpaths have to be 3' wide to allow walker going in opposite directions to pass each other. I would make sure that there was more than one power source and that each of them was inaccessible from the gateways. Who has given the permission for access through the field? Is your YO the landowner, if so can't the permission just be rescinded?

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

You are correct in that you are legally entitled to shoot dogs bothering livestock. Horses are in absolutely no way defined as livestock - the fall outside of any definition of agriculture and therefore if the OP stuck a sign up threatening to shoot dogs bothering her horses she is likely to be met with the local police's firearms department, providing of course she has a shotgun licence.

If you are sure there are no public rights of way where this guy is I would be having very strong words with him OP, we have a lot of issues with trespassing and I we have found our local police force invaluable. Ours have their own "rural" officers - they deal with poaching, trespass, hunting issues with antis and are incredibly useful - might be worth looking into.

This is partly wrong and partly right, you cannot put up notices threatening to shoot dogs, that part is right,

HOWEVER Horses ARE specifically defined as livestock in the Act that governs dogs worrying livestock, it makes special mention that they are covered (despite them otherwise being not defined as agricultural ). So without warning signs or statements (that may be defined as threatening) in the event of horses being worried by dogs, owners ARE legally permitted to shoot the dogs provided it is the only way to stop an ongoing incident and have exhausted all other options.

Not encouraging it, but it's important that horse owners are aware that they would like a cattle or sheep farmer have access to the same defence as they do if they are forced to shoot a dog to stop it attacking their horses if they are unable to catch it or stop it.

 

[Fides]

ln Scotland it is the right to responsibly roam not free roaming so if they are not following the 'rules' then contact your local dog warden who may be able to issue him with a warning. Other than this there isn't much you can do... And electrifying a gate is illegal.

l tend to live by the theory that 1m55 fencing with 3 strips on the mains running at 7OOOv should keep them out. lf they can get through then good luck to them.

Also the law states that you can't keep a bull or stallion in a field that has free access to the public. My stallion chases walkers and dogs (will kill a dog} and there is a sign stating this. But he is separated from the 'footpath' by two rows of 1m55 fencing as described above.

 

[Ibblebibble]

fence off the access and put a sign up stating 'please keep to designated path, land mine detection training in progress'

do you have a horsewatch group in your area? find out who the police liason person is and have a chat with them

 

[sassyv]

There are 60+ sheep on the land but sadly i only have an air rifle I've put a couple of signs up as suggested on the access gates so he can't miss them and hopefully I will catch him on his walk tomorrow. I will try to be polite to make him understand the seriousness of what he has done but I'm not promising! if this fails I may need to borrow the guard goat

 

[henryhorn]

Put a notice up "Beware adders seen please keep your dog on a short lead"
He probably won't enter the field ever again....
We have a footpath through two fields and the best way is an inner electric fence with low strands so dogs respect it .
Provided you stick a sign on the entrance to the field you can do it.

 

[Dry Rot]

I would also put electric fencing up and I think you should contact your local Police Community Support Officer for their help. Ours are really helpful and would happily arrange to come at a specific time if you wanted them to talk to him on your behalf. I know it's not technically a criminal matter but this poses a real danger to your horses so they should be willing to help any way they can.

I don't agree.

There are various headings this could come under including criminal damage. Trespass is a civil matter.

Speak to your Community Police officer and tell him the horse is on a diet and unauthorised feeding could harmed him Also ragwort is more palatable to horses when wilted and likely to caused irreversible liver damage. But to do that, you need the man's name and address so you need to make a few inquiries or just ask him.

 

[scribble]

geese are good guard animals

 

[JLD]

I have just done a bright orange laminated one saying 'do not to feed my pony as he is on a strict diet to stop him getting laminitis which could kill him'. I was worried it might sound dramatic but actually I don't care !

 

[sassyv]

So it turns out a friend on the yard caught him earlier on this week entering my field and asked what he was doing. He said he was going to pull the ragwort as he had already done the other fields (ones currently being rested) she told him not to do it as it needs to be dug out properly to which he replied I know and carried on on his way. He obviously came back the next day to do it any way. He is well known in the village for bring a complete pain in the behind so I have asked my YM to have a word with the local PCSO as I really don't think the signs I have put up will make the blindest bit of difference. Now there are several more acres that need to be checked for rotting ragwort.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Think I'd lose the plot with him, big time. :frown3:

 

[TigerTail]

Electric tape like knitting so the dogs get zapped, not their fault their owner is a prat I know but it should deter them from your boundaries. Id also probably do a barbed wire middle then electric again - keeps the little s**ts out of my field who were stealing last year

 

[Alyth]

Difficult one, because it sounds as though he has access, and may also be well-meaning - he might have heard ragwort's dangerous and thinks he's doing you a favour! I'd stick up a comprehensive sign, as above, with photographic evidence. If that's ignored, I'd contact the police.

NOTICE
Please do not feed the horses - they are on a carefully controlled diet and any other food may make them seriously ill.
Please do not tamper with the field in any way - ragwort, once dead, is palatable to horses and much more dangerous than when it is growing. A programme is in place for its removal and destruction.
All dogs must be kept on a lead.
All walkers must keep to the footpath.
Tampering with the horses, or with the field, in any way, is forbidden.

A bit wordy, but you probably need to be quite clear!

Good luck.

I would add a line about removing dog dung.......