To think that dog owners should take the responsibility and worm their dogs?

[steviesgirl]

Dog owner's have been reminded time and time again in our local area by vet's and farmers alike to worm their dogs, as worm's can pose a big health risk to livestock. Dog worm's can actually kill sheep. People walk their dogs in the fields that are public rights of way where there is livestock. They are welcome to do so, as long as their dogs are kept on a lead where there is livestock and they worm them.

We have a lamb of about 5 months old that has been struck down with worms that it's picked up from an un-wormed dog. The poor animal is now suffering. It cannot even stand properly where it's lost its balance and can't feed itself. It's condition has rapidly deteriorated. It will be dead tomorrow. Nothing can be done for it. Why? Dog worms have got into its brain and damaged it!

So, AIBU to think that some dog owner's who have been repeatedly reminded about the risks and still fail to worm their dogs and take them on farmland are selfish and irresponsible?

Any views on this? Sorry, I know it's another dog owner thread!

YANBU at all, and I'm so sorry for your lamb. I live in the countryside and have dogs, but they're never taken into fields with other animals. However, I didn't know that worms that are a mere nuisance to dogs can kill livestock, so perhaps this needs more publicity? (I'm surrounded by cattle rather than sheep, but had no such warnings when I previously lived by sheep.)

It's also possible that many dog-walkers have transported their dogs for said walk, so they're not local and won't have seen the signs in the vets?

(I used to live by the seaside, and was regularly driven nuts by fuckwits people who brought their dogs to the shore in order for said mutts to have a dump.)

I never cease to be astonished by the total lack of consideration and responsibility on the part of some dog owners. They give the rest of us a bad name. Sorry for the poor lamb. OldLady is right though, it sounds like more publicity is needed? Perhaps contacting the governing body for vets and requesting that it be pushed more in surgery, signs in the waiting room etc.? Shame it can't be made compulsory and fined if not adhered to.