Escaped collies from kennels shot by farmer

[JoanBias]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221414/Farmer-shoots-collies-dead-escape-boarding-kennels-owners-holiday.html

The kennel owner, on the radio, was blaming the farmer, saying that the farmer had returned and warned other dog owners about their dogs many times, but just shot those dogs.

So the kennel owner is blaming the farmer because in the past he has given warnings? Thats pretty lame. Maybe he was sick of his warnings (which he did not have to give) being ignored. Maybe in the past it was one dog and he could manage to catch it (even though he did not have to) but two at once he couldn't get under control without further harm to the sheep.

It's a horrible, horrible story, but I don't think any of the blame can be placed on the farmer. He saw two dogs "herding" his sheep, and quite rightly shot them. What else could he possibly have done?

Quick namechange, am a daily regular.

I am from the area this happened in. Talk of the town is that actually there is history between the farmer and kennels. Not such good history.

"I am from the area this happened in. Talk of the town is that actually there is history between the farmer and kennels. Not such good history."

That's the impression he gave on the radio. Apparently (according to the kennel owner) he has only seen him 3 times in 8 years, but when he got the dogs, the farmer said 'I've had enough of you.'

Either way, the farmer, I guess, had the right to shoot the dogs. The travesty is that the owner felt that the dogs were safe in the care of the Kennels.

Presumably the kennels will take steps now to keep their dogs in.

If there was 'history' the kennels should have been doubly careful.

Two dogs are dead because they weren't supervised. The farmer was within his rights to shoot them, the owners were within their rights to leave them, it is the kennel which is at fault

Presumably the kennels will take steps now to keep their dogs in.

Be surprised if they needed to now, would imagine they have few customer remaining. I certainly would leave my dogs there.

If it´s true that the dogs didn´t respond to recall-is that the kennel owners fault for trusting the dog owners?

I wouldn´t trust my dog to go back to a stranger tbh.

Does that mean he´s badly trained?

The story in the OPs link seems to have changed from what I thought it said originally which I thought implied no-one at the kennel noticed the dogs were missing for a while (which would render the question of recall irrelevant)

if you look at other reports they state that the dogs were missing for 20mins before noticed, and also that only one dog was capable of jumping the gate/fence

You'll never get the truth from the kennel owner because he is trying to cover his arse in order to save his business. He's not going to say he left them unsupervised in a field is he!

Well if they got off his property & were on the farmer´s-then it´s got to be his fault, hasn´t it?

Whether they escaped/ran off, whatever?

You might hope that if the kennel owner was in sight the farmer would have given him chance to get the dogs.

It seems fairly obvious that the farmer had gotten fed up with strange dogs running around all of the time

The Kennel was negligent, and those poor, beautiful dogs have paid the price of their incompetence.

However, it does seem strange to me to have dogs and then go away for a month

diddl not sure he was in sight as he drove to the farm.

The kennels should have had secure high fencing. I don't know of many healthy young working breeds of dog that wouldn't be able to clear a 4 foot fence. Sounds like he had no control over the collies and was also walking 2 other dogs on lead at the same time.

The farmer may have shot them to make a point after numerous similar incidents. I can imagine his frustration, if it happened repeatedly as suggested.

Caz I completely agree with you .

"However, it does seem strange to me to have dogs and then go away for a month"

We are considering a trip to NY next year.

I´m considering staying here with the dog & cat!

Totally agree caz. On the odd occasion we go away without our dogs my folks have them, but generally we take holidays where they come with us.

A month is a long time to leave your pets in kennels.

I'd put the blame firmly at the door of the kennels. When we travel, I use a home boarder and I trust her that she will keep my dog safe and in good health. If he were to be shot for worrying livestock on her watch, you bet your arse I'd be blaming her

What an interesting thread. This was started in chat, and most of the posters were horrified. Here in the Doghouse, theres a lot more perspective! for once
"The kennel owner, on the radio, was blaming the farmer, saying that the farmer had returned and warned other dog owners about their dogs many times, but just shot those dogs"

I think Colditz has summed it up perfectly.

Sags - presumably because every responsible dog owner knows that if you've got a dog anywhere near livestock you keep it under close control (which IMO means a lead - I don't think even the best trained dog can be garanteed to resist chasing/'herding'). And knows what can happen if you don't do this, and if a dog gets shot while in your care it is 100% your fault.

My Cavalier managed to squeeze under a fence into a field full of cows and sent them all galloping once. I was terrified he'd be shot if seen, and knew it would be our fault, even though we didn't realise he could get in.

Very sad, but kennels def at fault.

One of the reports says 'The Rodens have now informed the police and RSPCA of the incident and are calling for the legislation permitting farmers to shoot pets to be overhauled.'

Does anyone think the legislation needs to be 'overhauled'? If so, in what respect? It seems to me that the current law is fit for purpose and admirably clear.

Nope. Nothing wrong with the legislation at all. Might be useful to have some sort of awareness campaign though.

I see loads of dog owners walking their dogs off leash through livestock fields because they think an ok recall = on leash.