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.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-47474646

Sure - well when a public footpath goes through a field with cows, I guess most people would think it's safe.

^

And most people would think that humans can apply some sense to a situation and maybe not walk through? You don't have to walk through a field because it says it's a public right of way??

We have free roaming horses and cows here. Generally they ignore the dog and because he has been walked by them since a puppy he ignores them.

The only time we have had an issue is when we needed to get back to our car and a herd of cows were between us and the only narrow route back and they seemed rather threatening. I think I waited around 30 minutes wondering what to do before someone came walking by and managed to get them to move enough so we could walk quickly through.

I had an aunt who was attacked by one pf
her own cows when she was assisting an injured calf

they are trojans

Offer to pay for the installation of an electric fence & the ongoing electricity costs? Should be super cheap! If that's "all it takes" for you to enjoy your free access to someone else's land, why wouldn't you do that?

It’s their bloody land and livelihood

A few years ago I was walking my dogs on one of my regular dog walks- up a green lane, along the hedge line of a field along a bridleway, then back onto another green lane.

Our neighbours kept a herd of Jersey cows, and some young ones were in the next field over, but none in the one with the bridleway. My dogs were off lead (they had good recall) so off we went. About 300 yards to cross the field- we were were about half way- when I saw the hole in the hedge/fence. And the cows, heading over to investigate. And the big bugger at the back.......

The dogs knew the route, so i picked up the pace , turning and swinging the leads and shouting slowed them down a bit, but I made it through the horse gate at the bottom with seconds to spare. The bull reached the gate just as I slammed it shut.
Terrifying!

Our neighbour didn't put cows and calves of heifers in fields with footpaths or bridleways, so it always pays to double check!

They are very difficult to avoid in Cambridge too, even within parts of the city rather than just recreational areas like Grantchester meadows. They are grazing around major public rights of way through common land. I frequently see dog walkers when walking through one of these commons to get to the swimming pool. Hopefully the cows there are used to dogs and people.

It just means it’s a permitted path. You take responsibility for your own safety

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-68300204

Erm...electric fences run off batteries.

Those saying that people should never walk through footpaths with cows - have you ever actually done any walking through countryside in the UK? Many paths go through fields of cows, there are no warnings and often no way to avoid the cows without trespassing on private land or turning round and going back home! Do you think people shouldn't walk well known routes such as the South West coast path or the Cotswold Way? There are even cows on the paved footpath that I use to walk from home into town - should I be walking down an A road instead?
Of course we should all be sensible do this as safely as possible, but thousands of people walk in the countryside every day and injuries by cows are very rare.

I am very wary of cows, I grew up in the countryside and they can be really intimidating. I used to walk my dog on a lead past the cow fields (mostly because she liked to roll in shit) but she ate brave pills and decided to bark like an idiot at a field full of massive animals. I think she might have been shouting ‘wow huge dogs!’

They formed a single file line and walked along beside us and all that separated us was a fence. It was so eerie and there was no way to go if they decided they wanted to stampede.

Today I was quite scared of some horses that were stomping and snorting at us! If they wanted to jump the fence they definitely could.

The Ridgeway, England's oldest road, has been in use for about 5,000 years. Significantly longer than Canada has existed in its current form.

Sadly, there probably are ancient indigenous trade/travel routes in Canada but colonialism put an end to them. Would be lovely to still have them as rights of way.

Gobsmacked! I’ve walked through a field with cows in with my dog and didn’t give it a second thought, I wrongly assumed they were peaceful animals and minded their own business. I’m not a country or farm person though so knew no different….i certainly won’t be doing that again now! Thanks for the heads up.

Yes, and it is our right to access the countryside. Many of these footpaths were there before their farms, and all of them were there before any farmer still living.

Great, so pay for the batteries. And the fencing. And instalation.

Funny how the HSE are prosecuting farmers when half the people here seem to think it's the responsibility of walkers to avoid.

https://press.hse.gov.uk/2023/11/24/farmer-fined-after-cow-attack-left-man-fearing-for-his-life/

But - like everyone else - they have to accept that they are not kings of their own little castles, but part of society. The footpaths that annoy them so much were there long, long before they were born, never mind before they were farming there. If you farm on land with public rights of way, then maintaining those public rights of way is one of the responsibilities you assume. You can't just ignore those responsibilities.

I think you would be pretty limited in the walks you could do in most of rural UK if you never used a footpath which went through a field with livestock in it. Even open areas such as Epping Forest and common land such as the new forest are grazed by cattle. Cows are dangerous but deaths of walkers are very rare and shouldn't put people off. I would be much more careful if I had a dog though. I am always amazed how many dog owners have their dogs off lead around livestock.

You deserve a pat on the head for that clear explanation OP

Bulls are not per se any more dangerous than any other bovines to humans. Most bulls have been handled more as youngstock than cows. They will attack dogs like any other bovine, but even then there are exceptions. In the Langdale Valley a walk on the western edge used to take you through the farm yard and out the other side to a small field. The resident bull would often be standing there as you walked past on the public footpath. If you went to stroke his head he would happily lick your arm.

I honestly think most of them haven't.

You only have to do a quick search to find lots of examples of farmers being fined after a cow attack press.hse.gov.uk/2024/02/14/farmer-fined-after-friends-had-to-climb-tree-to-escape-cow-attack/

I'd imagine that electric fencing, plastic posts and batteries are a lot cheaper than a hefty fine from the HSE....