Cows killed another poor dog walker

[Pippetypoppity]

I’ve just seen on the BBC news that a lady has been killed in a field by cows. She was walking her chihuahua. This is absolutely tragic. She possibly ran with dog and was chased. That would be my guess as the same happened to me on our farm when I was very young. Your instinct is to save your dog and run. I remember I had a sheep dog puppy in my arms and I’d gone into the field to play. I was about 6 I think. The cows noticed the puppy from quite a distance away and the whole herd started moving in. Luckily I was close enough to the gate to get out, but it was terrifying. I remember my father on the yard yelling ‘Drop the puppy’ at the top of his lungs. I didn’t but I’d have been a gonner if I was another 50 yards in. I just want to tell everyone what my father said to me that day. It’s stuck in my mind ever since and it’s important anyone who dog walks in the country knows it too

1. If you see cows with calves leave the field by the nearest exit immediately. Cows often charge to protect their young
2. If you see cows without calves and they start moving quickly towards you they are being inquisitive. If you have a dog with you the cows will want to know if it is a threat. They see dogs instinctively as predators. If you cannot get to a gate and they are approaching- startle them by shouting jumping, waving your arms and making yourself appear as loud, big and threatening as possible. This will frighten them and make them stop or bypass you.
3. If they persevere it will be because they want to force your dog out of the field. Let the dog go! This is critical. Your dog can run faster than cows and much much faster than you. The cows will then focus on the dog and you can get away.
4. Never ever pick up the dog if cows are refusing to back off. This is the hardest thing in the world to do as all your instincts will compel you to try and protect it. It stands a better chance running and dodging them however than it does in your arms. You will then avoid becoming a target yourself and being trampled.
5. When cows move quickly in a large group the ones at the front get pushed by the ones at the back even if they themselves try to slow down. They will not be trying to mow you down but the sheer force from behind might mean they do. For this reason if cows approach in a group and your initial efforts to threaten and scare them failed, make that momentum go in a different direction ie after your dog.

I am so so dreadfully sorry to hear that this has happened again. The lady in question was inevitably a devoted extremely responsible and loving pet owner. She must have been to have been giving her chihuahua a country walk. I expect for this very reason she picked her dog up when she saw the cows getting near. Poor poor lady.

As far as I know in Ireland, everybody used to go everywhere, at least in the West. But it was never enshrined in law. So, when the culture changed and landowners started putting up "Private Land" notices, there was no protection for the rights of the little people.

I've often had my suspicions....🤔

I worked on a farm for a while and would often catch myself on the electric fence. It feels like a static shock, just slightly more painful.

I'm a country girl and cows scare me witless, I avoid wherever possible!

@crackofdoom growing up we often took shortcuts through our neighbours fields but nobody would have been happy to see strangers roaming through their fields and I don't blame them.

Sheep or arable?

What a townie 🤣🤣🤣

Nothing worse than setting out on a long walk and half way through find cows in the field you need to walk through. I am so pleased where the edge of the fields are fenced off. I don’t doubt that some people are a nuisance but most of us walkers love nature and won’t cause any bother.

Apparently, where possible, farmers are meant to ensure that cows with calves are separated from footpaths. Cows which trampled Yorkshire couple had no alternative field, farmer says - BBC News Surely if it's not possible, then there should be extensive signage indicating the dangers at all entrances to the field. I can remember running across a field on a footpath once and only discovering the 'Beware of the Bull' sign as I climbed out over a style on the other side!

We are in Scotland with right to roam. We have put signs up, only for them to be torn down. We have put signs up saying not to feed and why, and caught people standing right next to them feeding our ponies. We put signs up saying they are in their field and still have had people try to walk through and then scream abuse at me because the ponies, encouraged to beg by the aforementioned dickheads, have approached them. After years of dog shit, dog attacks and pig ignorant toss pots, some of whom managed to poison my whole herd with crass cuttings last year, and losing entire hay crops because people have allowed their dogs to shit all over cut hay waiting to be baled, despite MORE signs saying the field was closed for hay, I have cracked and fenced in a walkway, only to be screamed at because I am interfering with people's right to roam because they want to access my whole field (and my ponies, not a right you have under right to roam, may I add). I am sick to death of stiles and gates being vandalised and fencing being interfered with. It has cost me thousands to put up fencing and electrify it to protect people's right to roam and to keep my ponies and the general public safe. And no, I don't get subsidies. It also has to be upkept and to the person who said electric fences run on batteries, how do you think we charge them?! It would have been far cheaper and easier for me to have less fencing but thanks to the anti social behaviour of the general public, it was going to end up with a dead/injured walker and/or a dead/injured pony. I put up all the bloody signs I could, to ensure access could be shared safely, and people still did whatever the fuck they liked and costs me thousands I could ill afford every year. I am not the only person who has had this problem, so I can see why people just give up when signs are constantly being torn down or ignored.

This is a great question. It’s not that easy to answer though I’m afraid. As you’ll probably guess it all depends on the cattle in question. Younger ones are more inquisitive than older ones and those that have had more exposure to walkers/ dogs will be more tolerant of them. As a general rule of thumb just remember cows with calves are an absolute no no. Leave the field however you can. Also remember your dog is much more of a target than you and your dog can outmanoeuvre cattle. You can’t. I have personally never known cattle to persist when threatened in the way I earlier described- if there is no dog being held on to that is!

I don’t love walking through the cows, and I’m careful, and I know how to behave around them. BUT I’m pretty certain I’m more at risk walking on the road full of cars than through the field with the cows. Can we have some perspective?

Its just not possible to avoid fields with livestock in or places where animals roam. There is just no way to do that and live life. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. It’s part of the fabric of the UK. It’s like saying avoid crossing rivers and streams, just not physically possible.

The whole world revolves them and their dog of course...

That's me quoted there. I don't have a dog.

This happened to DH years ago. He worked on a dairy farm in his teens so felt comfortable with cows. But half way across an 'empty' field with Ddog cows and a calf appeared at the top. He let Ddog go but the cows attacked him anyway. They only stopped when his phone rang and surprised them. The farmer was frozen with shock when he saw him.

Thoughtful post and great advice. Thanks OP.

Even if you don't have a dog, don't presume that you are safe. Cows can charge even when there is no dog present. You need to keep your wits about you at all times.

@Rosscameasdoody

To produce just a few factory produced artificial vegetarian options to meat is the equivalent of driving 2000 miles on a petrol engine. Who’s fucking who exactly ?

Chickpeas? Kidney beans? Lentils? Really??

@Rosscameasdoody you want people to be on edge wherever they go in the countryside?

If I come across a field of cows on my route with my dog I always find an alternative way or turn back the way I came. I walked 45 minutes out of my way in Saturday to avoid native cattle which had roamed to a gate on the moors. I love cows and have been told the native ones are very laid back but I'd never risk it. My dog would also stick to me like glue even if I tried to run away from her so we'd both be at risk.

Cows are deadly. Most people used to know that.

It only takes a field of young cattle with no 'heirarchy' or older herd to keep them in check, and it's essentially a death trap if even one is spooked. People are trampled by them every year, because livestock are dangerous, they're not cuddly cute petting zoo cows.

Stay out of livestock fields ffs. And dont take bloody photos of them.

Somebody told me that calves are taken from their mother's after a short time so we can have the milk. Wonder if cows get psychologically damaged by that?

Quite. There is a field in Cardiganshire in west wales which the long distance coastal path runs through. Three years in a row we have been through this field and there are bullocks in it. The last time they did come after us and DH had to wave a big stick around to get them to back off. As it’s not a minor footpath but a long distance path I don’t think there should be cows in the field. It’s a good few miles detour to try and avoid them. Now we have a dog I won’t be doing it again.

People should be on edge in the countryside if they're not experienced in it. Only idiots aren't fully aware of their surroundings at all times when out in it.