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?

Do you realise a sheep will abort its lamb due to stress. I grow up in the country and if 'd' c were a dog they been shot. If i was the farmer ill be furious! How stupid is your sil!!!!

YWBVVVVVVVU!

You couldn't be more in the wrong.

You certainly come across as thick, PrettyFeet. You may have an opposing viewpoint to the majority, but you're not exactly arguing it coherently or persuasively.

If i was farmer id report you and sil in police!!!!! You broke the countryside code and give walkers a bad name. You would be liable for any damage to the sheep and lose of lambs. Im furious on the farmers behalf having seen the damage your stupid sil and dc can cause!!!!! (Op you also own me chocolate and wine as so cross now i need it). Those poor sheep!

Your family and friends behaved appallingly. You don't ever harass livestock in the fields. Or anywhere else.

If all or some of those ewes abort as a result of being stressed the farmer will lose a huge chunk of income for the year.

If your family live in a country village they should know this is lambing season and that you have to be extra careful around ewes in lamb. Or for crying out loud they should know the Countryside Code at a bare minimum.

The dog, from your description, was clearly under control at all times. It's a professional, doing its job, protecting the flock. Growling and circling is what a well-trained, disciplined dog should do in the situation you described. It's keeping the threat away from the flock.

If field has a right of way through it, isn't it also the farmer's responsibility to keep sheep away from public or put a sign up asking not to approach them? God give me strength. No. Fields are there for livestock, not walkers. If you want to walk through a field with stock in it the onus is on you to know how to behave.

The dog didn't need to be on a lead. The children should have been on a lead. Show the townie this thread!

My attitude is that there are so many people on here that think their shit doesn't stink is unreal, or should that be "surreal". I said that chasing a few sheep is hardly a major ordeal. It's not particularly right but as usual it's all been blown out of proportion on here, to the point where the righteous are getting ridiculous as usual.

So calm down with your nasty shite.

OMG I can't believe they allow their kids to behave that way. Worrying sheep leads to lost lambs. Those sheep and lambs are that farmers livelihood, no wonder she was going apeshit on you all. That dog is so well trained as a working dog that all it would do is circle until she gave it a command, so no one was in danger, she probably had it with her for her own protection to to attack small children with.
I hope you speak to your family and her friends and let them know how wrong they were to let the kids act that way.

katiekaye .. I think prettyfeet means that the people who are telling firethorn that what her party did was wrong are all "toffs".

It is a common misconception that people who raise livestock or own farmland must be "toffs". I have heard it before many times. I live in a rural area and none of the farmers around here are remotely wealthy or posh. Most of them have such enormous loans to keep their businesses going that they don't sleep at night. A crop failure, or the loss of cattle can sometimes send them into bankruptcy.

And then in the same vein, you get people banging on about real food, and organic, and grassfed and screaming about frankenmeat. Sometimes I really wonder where people think organic and grassfed comes from.

Apparently I have a very high IQ, if that means Im not thick then so be it. People tend to pick on someone in every thread to make themselves seem more important. I don't mind being that particular person There again I don't have to have cunt in my name either.

Bloody hell, I'm a city dweller through and through, and even I know it's lambing season. Have you never heard of Lambing Live?

I'm amazed and appalled in equal measure. The poor farmer, and poor sheep. I hope those idiotic parents and their kids have learnt their lesson now, although I doubt it gro your account. They aren't 'just' sheep, they're her livelihood.

Absolutely stunned by this thread and the complete ignorance of those parents...how can you not realise that sheep are heavily pregnant in the Spring?
As for a sign on the gate, that's ridiculous, how can it be ok to go into a farmer's field and chase the animals unless there is a sign saying not to.
The father was fuming all the way home, so now he has passed his appalling ignorance onto the next generation, when he should have been talking to the kids about respect for property and livestock.

But you don't seem to realise, Prettyfeet, that 'chasing a few sheep' is a 'major ordeal' for them, and particularly whilst they are pregnant. I'm afraid you put yourself firmly in the same camp as the OP and her SIL when you express views like that. Do you really, really believe that you are right and all the many other people expressing the opposite viewpoint are wrong? Perhaps, if you really can't see the truth in this, it would be better to go back to your Mojitos and drink yourself even more silly

OP - you need to familiarise yourself with this. I think it mentions... respect... somewhere.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code

I said that chasing a few sheep is hardly a major ordeal

It's a major deal to farmers. A lost lamb is worth between £180 upwards. Ewes abort lambs is stressed. Yes, it's a major deal.

I wonder if this is an appropriate moment to point out that many farmers do not actually own the land they farm. They rent it.

Farmers? Toffs?

ahahahahaha

pressed the button too soon.
They rent the land like anyone else rents business premises.

Evening all

I was being ironic, works! Obviously there are people on here who actually make their living from farming and know what hard work it is. I just find the silliness of someone trying to offend posters by claiming they are "drunken toffs" to be best dealt with by deflection.

Pretty Feet said chasing a few sheep is hardly a major ordeal. It's not particularly right but as usual it's all been blown out of proportion on here which shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how serious it can be to the animals, backed up by a wilfully ignoring the fact that many posters have explained exactly why it is serious and what can result from such stupid behaviour. The only thing being blown up out of proportion is any attempt to defend the crass behaviour of these ignorant people.

You all sound like a bloody nightmare
Stick to city parks in future

Waves cheerily at Olivia, who I am sure would never chase sheep.

I need to calm down. Op has really really upset me! (Im crying here as i know the damage her stupid sil would have done, ex young farmer here). Yabvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvu op and i really hope the police knocks on your door. Do you realise the damage you done. Losing lambs could push a farmer under. Promise me op you will never allow our sil do that again! Your farmer behaved well compared to what he could have done!