My dog has just done the worst thing

[93sdb]

Hes just chased a sheep into a pond in the snow. Im heartbroken.

When he was younger he chased sheep before and he has ALWAYS been on a lead since then. Sheep or not.

We were walking down a field a walk through daily that has never had sheep in in the 20 years I've lived here. He was on his extendable lead and it was on loose but he was right next to me. I opened the gate to go through and felt him pull on the lead. Saw the sheep and put the clip on so he couldn't get any closer and the lead snapped. He chased the sheep and would not come back. One jumped into a pond and I finally got him back.

Another girl from the house nearby helped me get the sheep out but it went into shock but was still breathing. I put my coat around it and sat with her whilst she called the farmer and another lad came over and said the farmer was going to be furious as this had happened earlier this morning. I gave them my number said I would pay any vet bills etc and left it with my coat wrapped around it.

The farmer has just called and spoken to my dad as I was too upset. He's shouted at my dad (understandably) and is threatening to get the police involved and wants immediate compensation and threatened to come and shoot my dog. The sheep is alive and is warming back up in this man's house and is expected to make a full recovery and I am going to walk up there later (WITHOUT THE DOG) to check on it.

I just wanted somewhere to write and be devestated. Im upset how the farmer spoke to my dad as it was a complete and utter accident but I understand his frustration. I wouldn't of even walked in the field with my dog if I had any clue there was going to be sheep in there. He hasn't got excited around them since the first time but I would never risk it.

@Moonstone1234

The lead broke Asdf..... dogs third party liability? What is that? Part of home insurance (should the OP have this?)

Insurance bod here. Yes, that should be covered under home insurance (PL Cover), and usually just excludes dangerous dogs as defined by the dangerous dogs act :)

FENTOOOOOOOON!

The threat to shoot your dog would make me less likely to listen to him having a go
so in a situation where a farmer is threatening to shoot your dog for worrying livestock you'd put your hands over your ears and walk off muttering
'how dare he, it's not as if my dog was trying to kill a child'

Don't know why the farmer is bothered. He's just going to send it to die horrifically in a few months.
There's a world of difference between between being chased down and terrified, and captive bolt stunning flooded by slaughter.

I've seen far too many photos of sheep worried by dogs - ears off, mouths ripped, legs bitten down to the bone - on a farmer's wife's phone. Their sheep.

The vast majority of farmers want their sheep to have good lives prior to slaughter.

So sorry this happened to you, I can't imagine how you must be feeling.

I'm sorry that some folks on here have given you a hard time. You sound lovely OP. Feel better and I hope this is all resolved without too much trauma for anyone involved.

@93sdb

Are YOU OK?

There are some nasty posts on your thread. I stopped reading half way through because it largely became a pile in. Horrible.

You didn't do anything wrong, it was an accident. It was a very unfortunate set of circumstances & in real life 'shit happens' no matter how careful we try to be.

You did everything you could when if happened & afterwards. I'm imagining the sheep wearing your coat, sitting in front of the AGA wuth a whiskey 🥃🤣.

I'm sure the sheep was very scared and I feel very sorry for it, hopefully it'll be ok.

How the actual fuck did you get it out of the pond? They're heavy and it must have been freezing did you both (you & the girl) go in the pond??

Sounds like the farmer was a bit calmer the second time you spoke to him.

Obviously he wasn't obliged to, but if you suddenly put live stoke in a field, that for the past 20 years had been summer grazing, & is marked as dog friendly pathway, then it's YOUR own best interest to put a notice up.

I hope you're ok. It's not only the sheep that's had a fright 💐

@bitheby

Well if it happened twice in one day, arguably the farmer should learn from this that putting sheep in a field that had never had sheep in it before requires signage up to warn unsuspecting dog owners.

You did everything you could. He is understandably upset but the sheep didn't die; you didn't leave it to die and you could've done. Hopefully he'll learn from this too.

It's his land, the onus should be on dog walkers. If you're walking on someone else's land the dog should be on a lead. Just because the sheep didn't die doesn't make it ok. Bothering often causes pregnant ewes to miscarry. It's very serious.

OP it was an unfortunate accident and you sound like a very responsible dog owner and you did everything you could. I'm sure the farmer will have calmed down by now, and will be consoled by you reacting quickly to help the sheep, accepting responsibility and offering to pay for vet costs before even being asked. Youve done everything you can.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman

Don't know why the farmer is bothered. He's just going to send it to die horrifically in a few months. There's a world of difference between between being chased down and terrified, and captive bolt stunning flooded by slaughter.

I've seen far too many photos of sheep worried by dogs - ears off, mouths ripped, legs bitten down to the bone - on a farmer's wife's phone. Their sheep.

The vast majority of farmers want their sheep to have good lives prior to slaughter.

Honestly have you seen the sheep at slaughter? The journey beforehand and some that are sent as live export?

It’s horrific, that doesn’t justify a dog chasing them around but the hypocrisy on this thread is astounding.

Two farmers local to me have criminal convictions for cruelty, I will post the links if you don’t believe me.
No problem with being outed, I change name regularly, but really, the hypocrisy is ridiculous on this thread.

So sorry this happened to you,

It did't happen to the OP- she was responsible

Just to clarify.. I understand the extendable lead is the issue. Never, before this conversation, have I heard anyone say that they are dangerous. Lessons learned.

I've seen it mentioned quite often on Mumsnet so I thought it was common knowledge. Although I realise not everyone reads everything here .
There should be more publicity about risks.

They can do a lot of damage if they get wrapped around arms, legs, fingers, paws which can easily happen with a bouncy dog.
Also there's a risk they could escape with the lead attached. I've heard about a dog that ran away when the owner dropped the extendible lead. It was found dead a weeks later in woodland with the lead wound round a tree.

Buy a better lead. Train your dog. It was a mistake which you can learn from and hopefully the farmer will calm down.

It’s not that uncommon for working dogs to be killed if they injure livestock so the farmers probably not as much of a monster as he might seem.

I'm so glad the sheep is OK. I mean it's probs just goona be killed anyway. But I assume freezing to death is worse.

Re leads, if you want to allow the dog more freedom than the average lead (obviously not near livestock) then consider a horse lungeline. I have one for use with the harness for when my lot are on restricted exercise. It’s nylon, no way could they ever snap it, it can be washed in a washbag. Mine is 20ft long.

@Okokokbear

I'm so glad the sheep is OK. I mean it's probs just goona be killed anyway. But I assume freezing to death is worse.

It's most probably a ewe and pregnant/ being kept for lambing. It's the rams that are killed for meat unless they're good enough to breed from and they don't need many of them, and the older ewes. A group of sheep in a field are most probably all female.

OP if you are still here, I sympathise.
To everyone who walks their dogs in fields - please pick up their dog poo. Because a farmer I know had his sheep abort due to the parasites in the dog poo in the field. Calves and lambs can be aborted.
www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/sites/default/files/2018-09/Risk%20of%20the%20spread%20of%20disease%20in%20livestock%20from%20dog%20faeces%20-%20Briefing%20note%20for%20Access%20Authorities.pdf

What an absolute pile-on; i hope you are ok OP. I'm glad the sheep is OK too.
I think we all know a farmer is allowed to shoot in certain circumstances but threatening to come to the house and shoot the dog is quite different.
Totally agree that comprehension/ reading are lacking but some people just really like to kick folk when they're down eh?
OP- I can thoroughly recommend a Halti lead. Very strong, double ended and comfortable to hold.

Two farmers local to me have criminal convictions for cruelty,
It's a very rare farmer that gets a cruelty conviction. The vast majority of animals I see locally are well looked after.

One reason for long journeys to slaughter is the closure of so many small slaughterhouses.

I was woken up by barking during the day (working nights) that I couldn't quite work out where from. It sounded like it was in my back garden, but no sign of a dog there. Eventually I found the source and it was a dog in the field behind our garden wall, the dog was aggressively barking at a sheep it had pinned into the corner of the wall.

I threw some clothes on and drove up to the farm to tell the farmer, terrified he would come down with a shotgun, I love dogs and would have never forgiven myself if he had killed it.

Anyway the farmers response was not what I expected. He said "that f*ING dog was chained up over there 5 minutes ago, and it's snapped it's bloody chain", thanked me for telling him, jumped in his pick up and drove down to collect his dog.

It happens to everyone op, don't let it get to you too much. Some farmers are just more amiable and understanding than others.

Reading some of the comments on this thread you would think some of you have never made an error of judgement in your life!
OP has admitted she was in the wrong (unintentionally) and made a mistake. Her dog was on a lead and the lead broke, it was an accident! Accidents happen - but apparently not to some of you in your perfect little worlds sat on your pedestal judging strangers over the internet.
It's clear the OP did everything she could and feels extremely guilty about this incident, shame on whoever is on here trying there best to kick her whilst she's down.

PS I hate extendable leads- DH and I have had nasty friction burns from getting entangled when walking a friend's dog

@Mummyoflittledragon

I’m sorry this happened and you are shaken. It sounds awful to have been shouted at. However you were in the wrong whatever the circumstances and the farmer is rightfully very angry. So take it on the chin, go and apologise or write a note.

Christ on a bike all these clueless townies baying for the farmer’s blood. Perish the thought the farmer should put his sheep in his field. Maybe he isn’t allowed to put sheep in his field lol.

Do you not realise farmers are on the bones of their arse? Ffs.

I agree. If they knew how often sheep were killed or miscarry due to dogs running about - there doesn't even have to be an attack, even just a dog running among them is enough to scare them to death/miscarry. Why should farmers constantly have to deal with the loss to their livelihoods because people can't keep control of their dogs. I say that as a dog owner.

This isn't aimed at OP, I realise it was an accident and she has held herself accountable and taken full responsibility. But some of the comments about him illegally having sheep in his field, or not having signs up, or not using the field often enough are ridiculous. Owners are responsible for making sure their dogs aren't causing havoc or costing other people money.

@PADH The dog was on a lead. The lead broke.

I love surrounded by sheep farmers in the middle of Wales so I'm well aware of what happens. I also know that every time it happens round here, the dog owner scarpers and doesn't own up to it so I commend the OP for that.

I see from later updates that the field had been sold but based on the knowledge I had at the time, I stand by my post.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman

Two farmers local to me have criminal convictions for cruelty, It's a very rare farmer that gets a cruelty conviction. The vast majority of animals I see locally are well looked after.

One reason for long journeys to slaughter is the closure of so many small slaughterhouses.

Oh here we go, refusal to believe it. Absolute rubbish, it took years and uncover footage to convict one. Another one got away with it because the footage was obtained ‘illegally’.

It must be unbelievably bad luck to have two within a few miles of me then. This ridiculous line of all farmers being caring angels is not true.

And how does slaughter houses being far away negate my point that it’s stressful for the animals?

It’s a fact.

[quote CakeIsEternal]@Impatiens

I hope you dont have a dog, because if you have a dog then you should know this.

The new open country and common land rights require that you must keep your dog on a short lead between 1st March and 31st July and all year round when near farm animals. Some areas do not allow dogs at specific timesof the year. Please look out for offical signs.[/quote]
Yes I have got a dog that I adore, thanks. We go for long walks all over Dartmoor, coast and woods in Devon.

When he was still very young he starting chasing livestock and I realised if I didn't do something drastic he would end up hurting an animal and getting himself shot so I used an electric 'shock' collar (now banned) to train him. It was quick and very effective.

If a farmer is going to have livestock near a public footpath they need to put up clear signs to warn dog-walkers. I loathe farmers anyway, grew up around them and the majority are a selfish bunch of bastards.

To everyone who walks their dogs in fields - please pick up their dog poo
One can hope, but many people take dogs into fields precisely because they feel it is therefore ok to NOT pick up the poo