'Livestock, please keep all dogs on leads' notice

[SpottyTB]

I beleive the farmer has a right to actually shoot your dog if it's one) of a lead and two) a possible threat to his live stock..

So at the risk of you ending up with a dead or very poorly dog.. I'd pop her on a lead!

Even the best dogs in the world slip up sometimes

 

[Ranyhyn]

Not quite true Spotty but if the circumstances are correct, maybe

 

[Spudlet]

If there's stock in the field, put the lead on - simples. Even if it is the best trained dog ever.

If cattle actually start chasing you, the advice is to drop the lead because the cattle are more likely to be after the dog than you, and the dog can run fast enough to get away, while you cannot.

ETA to placate any farmers reading, we always make sure we look as miserable as possible when using any footpaths across farmland...

 

[dunthing]

I trusted my old Lab implicitly but she ran after a huge ewe (luckily not at lambing time). The ewe was half hidden in tall bracken and the bitch got the fright of her life when the ewe stood up to her. However, the point is that she was NEVER allowed off lead where farm animals were after that. I hadn't spotted any sheep until this happened.

 

[SpottyTB]

Oh my mistake! Sorry!

I was told that by a stud, who have had a lot of problems with both there horses and sheep..

£5k vets bill for one horse and they lost several sheep (both dog attacks).. They were told they could shoot the dog if it were a threat to the animal and if it was not on a lead and chasing - again they had a right to shoot it.. But perhaps this is not true

Either way, still stand by what I said about the dog being on a lead.. Would be a pity for a farmer to not see the dog with its owner (dog wandered further up the field or somthing?) and shoot it

 

[Cuffey]

If a ewe has chosen a 'spot to give birth' and is then disturbed very often intervention is needed and catching a now very nervous ewe can be tricky. Also if a ewe has given birth to one lamb and is disturbed before the second appears lamb 1 can be abandoned.
The dogs do not need to chase for this to happen, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time is enough.
Farmers being grumpy at lambing time is perfectly normal--he may have had little or no sleep for days.

 

[Ranyhyn]

The dog can be off a lead, but must be in control and it would have to be doing something that a farmer could reasonably prove could cause his ewe to abort or cause loss of production.

So yes, in the instances you've mentioned above - you're right.

However a farmer cannot just shoot an off lead dog whose not causing stress to livestock. Well, I suppose he could - but he might be in trouble there

 

[SpottyTB]

Ah thank you for clearing that up! I did think at the time that it was a tad harsh on those who are good but think its still wise to follow the lead rule! After all; its someone's living you may ruin!

 

[Ranyhyn]

Well yes quite

 

[honeymum]

I have always thought that the country code said dogs should be on a lead around livestock. I have never let any of my dogs off if there are sheep around (I wouldn't walk through cows so no ideas there!)

 

[SusieT]

There was no need for foul language. That was uncalled for. The rest is irrelevant in that it depends on the situation.
I would put two dogs on, and one not on the lead automatically on seeing stock as one wouldn't notice the sheep (And the blind one obviously not an issue..!) but the terriers aren't ideal if I take my eyes of them. We have a crop field asking owners very bluntly to put their dogs on a lead,w ith a tacked on 'short' on the end. I think that is a bit rude, but they can put up what thye like I suppose. People are more likely to co operate if you are nice though!

 

[Ranyhyn]

Some might say he did ask nicely by buying and hanging the polite notice on the gate!

 

[SusieT]

I don't believe this farmer had a notice unless I misread the OP?

 

[Ranyhyn]

My fault SusieT I read it that there was and there wasn't!

Although not "right" understandable maybe, if we knew the circumstances?

 

[SusieT]

Making excuses for foul language is imo silly. Manners cost nothing, just because one person does something does not mean that anyone like them will do the same.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Wow well you wouldn't like to come to our farm then, I have called my OH some amazing things while being splattered with mud/given the heavy end of something/headbutted by ewes/he's dropped the gate on me!

 

[Aru]

Your advised to keep a dog on lead when in fields with livestock alright.

However if chased by cattle you should ALWAYS drop your dogs lead.

Cattle are more likely to chase a dog than a person.Drop the lead and get out of harms way as quickly as possible and hope to hell your dog has the sense and survival instinct to leg it, it helps that dogs have a better chance of outrunning/outmaneuvering a cow than a person. Keeping a dog by you/holding it up as cattle charge can get you trampled and killed.
As someone mentioned previously there was a case reported of a vet killed in england in that situation.

However by having your dog initially on the lead it is less likely to draw negative attention from cattle, they tend to do a lot of looking and posturing before they charge and you will have a better chance of spotting them showing interest early on......As opposed to having them coming at full gallop where an off lead dog up ahead has roused them......and the dog is leading them straight towards you.

TBH I would advise against ever going in among cattle with a dog they dont know where possible,most will be fine but cattle are dangerous creatures when their annoyed or feeling protective of their calves!