To think parents should take responsibility if children chase sheep on country walk?

[Firethorn]

Recently went for a country walk (public right of way across farmland) with SIL, my 2 nieces, and another couple and their 3 kids. Crossing a sheep-field, the 5 kids started chasing sheep, trying to 'round them up' in a flock like they'd seen sheepdogs do on TV. I asked SIL if we should stop them, she said no they always do this it's not doing any harm. Other couple agreed and said the kids are having fun, let them play with the sheep. I was a bit concerned as one child was carrying a stick and waving it around, but respected the parents' decision.
Shortly afterwards an irate farmer marched towards us shouting and swearing! She was really aggressive and had a snarling dog (off the lead), dog was circling us but not approaching. For about 5 minutes mins she yelled and swore at the kids for chasing her sheep. All 3 parents then turned on their kids and told them off, lying that they'd been telling them to stop but they'd disobeyed! (They hadn't told them to stop at any point). My niece burst into tears and hid behind me and I lost my temper with farmer for swearing at kids, told her to back off and stop shouting, and to get dog under control. The dad of one of other kids then threatened to kick the dog if it came near his kids, and after some more shouting we decided to go back way we'd come. She shouted abuse after us until we were out of sight!

I'm annoyed with other parents for letting their kids chase sheep then lying about trying to stop them! Also with farmer for being so intimidating and rude. SIL says we should just have apologised and carried on walking. AIBU?

What everyone else has already said.
No, the farmer need not have her working dog on a lead, it was protecting her flock from arseholes that posed a danger to them.

You were with a party where some members trespassed onto private land from a right of way footpath and were chasing sheep in lamb, and you think it was remotely appropriate to lose your temper with said farmer and tell her what to do with her dog on her land?

Crikey ...

SIL and other parents all live in a country village, I was visiting from city. It hadn't occurred to me the sheep might be pregnant, but it did strike me as odd for kids to chase them. I certainly wouldn't have let my nieces chase sheep (or anything for that matter) if I'd taken them out by myself or if it was just me and SIL. But when the parents are telling their kids it's ok, I don't see how it's possible to override them or contradict the parent in front of kids.

I also think the farmer could have got her point across without yelling and swearing, or at least directed this at the adults rather than a bunch of terrified under-10s who didn't realise they were doing something wrong. As for the dog, if it had made to attack one of the children I think the dad would have been within his rights to kick it.

I bet that these parents would have gone crazy at the farmer if their little darlings had been chased by a ram or bull!

People that walk among farm animals need to learn to respect them. Otherwise they or the animals will get hurt. People like this are the reason why we fence our animals off our footpaths, as you can't trust people.

If its the wool, I don't think the sheep are going to like being "sheered" much. If it's for their meat, I don't think the sheep are going to like going to slaughter much either.

Unless, they're pets of course.

If 50 people tell you that you're wrong?

You're likely wrong.

Prettyfeet I take it you know nothing about farming? If so then keep your daft opinions to yourself. I take it you'd find a sheep and it's lamb dying amusing. They are easily scared and they would feel absolute terror like anything would bring chased.

If you go to the countryside just remember it's someone home and livelihood and don't act like a Fud. I grew up in the country and got annoyed by people thinking it was fun to 'play' with animals.

Agree with everyone else. Your relations were absolutely in the wrong. Surely it's bloody common sense that you don't chase and bully any animals, let alone pregnant ewes. You can't just waltz wherever you please through a farmers field upsetting their livestock! You stick to the footpath. They deserved a bollocking; those sheep are the farmers livelihood and your relation had no right to threaten her working dog.
This is why I would never keep my horses in a field with public access -people are unbelievably dense sometimes. If not dense, then dangerously unaware. I caught a family group trying to feed my friends horse a load of lawnmower clippings once over the fence. Massive no no. They were genuinely shocked when I got cross and explained how it could potentially kill the horse. I told them to never feed anyone's animal without permission, ever.

I have friends that are farmers. We discuss how the countryside could be opened up. I hate that so much is off limits. But then you see how people behave in the countryside, and realise that that is why farmers and landowners do not willingly let more people onto their land. It is so frustrating.

Oh they're under 10! I thought they would have all been 3 or 4. Under 10s who live in the countryside and don't know to leave farm animals alone?? :-s what is this place?
BUT OP, that is not aimed at you, you seem sensible. And it might have been a bit awks to stand up to 3 parents, I can see that.

Why should the farmer have moderated her language? What possible reason was there for her not to go ballistic?
Please don't say 'The children' If they were frightened, then the incident will be memorable and they won't do it again.
' I asked SIL if we should stop them, she said no they always do this it's not doing any harm.'
It's not like their ignorant, indulgent parents are going to do anything remotely responsible.

Firethorn my 3 year old knows it is wrong to chase animals there is no excuse.

I think your party deserved a bollocking. By age 10 99% of kids would know that the only animals that you can chase are pigeons and that if you're lucky a stray cat might approach a still and quiet human.

prettyfeet I don't understand your point.

so because some necessary aspects of their lives (or deaths) are less than picture perfect then no one should mind them being mistreated in the meantime?

Agree StillProcrastinating.
I appreciate the rights of way we still have accross the countryside. Many farmers here will not maintain paths/styles etc until something is done to force their hand. As really, they'd rather not have the general public wandering about.
And you read this OP and can understand ther point of view.

Who do you think you are "fluffy" how dare you! I actually don't agree with animal slaughter etc. Being sanctimonious about breading animals for this whilst crying about children chasing them is a bit rich don't you think?

Necessary aspect of their lives? By who's standards?

Pretty, I'm a vegetarian.
I'm surprised that you can't see a difference in a meat-eater's eyes between an animal that has been well-cared for all its life and endig up being slaughtered locally and quickly, and a pregnant ewe chased and terrified, aborting her twins and dying of blood loss and shock.

Bloody townies. My Dad is a sheep farmer and has had to shoot dogs for worrying sheep. His are in lamb at the moment and anybody chasing them would be given hell.

Tell you what prettyfwet I'll come into your properth uninvited and destroy something that cost a lot of money and you worked hard for. Is that ok? They could have damaged livestock and caused serious financial damage. rell you what I'll chase your kids around till they are absolutely petrified and possibly injure themselves trying to get away but that's all ok as they will die someday anyway now do you understand how tucking ended you are!

The dog didn't bite any of the DC and those DC have learned that if you do something stupid and wrong someone may well get angry and swear at you.
If they were upset it's their parents' fault and not the farmer's.

what a load of incredibly stupid people.
thinking it is okay to let their children chase livestock, and then complaining about a working dog, with a farmer on her own land, not being on a lead. Obviously the dog was not on a lead - but the children should have been restrained if their idea of "fun" is to chase animals, encouraged by their obtuse parents. these adults must have lived their entire lives in a vacuum if they claimed to be unaware that sheep are likely to be in lamb at this time of year and that being chased by a group of children is a highly stressful thing.

I'm not impressed by the excuse that OP didn't fee it was her place to say anything because the parents were there. Of course it is. If you see children doing something dangerous, whether to themselves or to others, then of course you have a duty to stop them behaving in that way. How would you have felt if one of those sheep spontaneously aborted when you were there and both ewe and lamb had died? Because that is exactly what you were allowing the possibility of happening by not putting a stop to it. Would you have stood by and watched if they thought it was fine for the children to play "chicken" on a busy road?

okay prettyfeet, I see what you're getting at. with respect, I think that's a different argument and not one I'm really prepared to get into!

Right so a sheepdog was circling but not approaching (have you ever seen a sheepdog OP - its what they do! ) and you're defending the aggressive father for threatening to kick a dog that's not approaching his children and is in fact displaying no aggressive behaviour whatsoever? Please stop trying to defend your behaviour, you're sounding more and more ridiculous.

So your group basically committed criminal damage by worrying livestock (yes its a criminal offence), trespassed onto private property by leaving the right of way, and became aggressive when the property and landowner objected to this? But you think she's in the wrong?

Oh no OP you're not being unreasonable at all!!

Calm down Fluffy Bloody kids, they're the ones that should be slaughtered