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.

I hate farmers. Always at the front of every queue with their hands held out
I find this crass and offensive, I have respect and gratitude for farmers and the farming community.

@Yohoheaveho Does living in the countryside all my life and knowing several farmers count as inside knowledge? If so, yep, I have inside knowledge. I also have owned dogs all my life and studied animal behaviour at uni.

Unlikely that the police would destroy a dog after an incident like this. More likely it would be a fine, maybe insist that a dog is kept on a lead on farm land whether or not there are sheep in the area, behavioural classes for the dog etc.

@93sdb It was an accident and hopefully once things calm down the farmer will realise this too - I am going back to read any of your updates now but was so infuriated with one reply I jumped in - sorry x
Unfortunately it's coming into that time of year, ewes are pregnant with lambs so even if the sheep survives, there is a risk shell lose the lambs. I know it's horrible and awfully upsetting but it really was an accident and you have done the responsible thing so try and take some comfort from that.

In our area it goes straight to dog being put down, there is no fine and there is no warning. We’re in literally the biggest tourist hotspot. If your dog chases sheep (never mind attacks) and they find out who you are, your dog is put down. One of the ones last year - turned out it had previously killed the owners kittens, she’d adopted two and both killed by the dog. It was a something doodle cross and seemed unlikely. You never really know what your dog will do.

What is commendable is the OP didn’t leg it. Pretty much unheard of here! To own up to it and offer to help (and to have helped the sheep) is really decent.

@EYProvider

Sorry, what? The farmer threatened to shoot your dog?

Anyone who threatened to shoot my dog would have to shoot me first.

I wouldn’t go near that farmer if I were you. And I wouldn’t let my dog out either, not even in the garden unless I was there.

I hate farmers. Always at the front of every queue with their hands held out, and now it’s supposed to be acceptable for them to go around shooting people’s dogs? This is why I could never live in the country. I thought we’d left all that Wild West stuff behind but obviously not.

What an idiotic thing to say!

To be fair, I think EYProvider only buys fair trade non-UK (but somehow good for the environment) food or else eats nowt. Cos she obviously doesn’t buy British food, she hates the farmers or maybe she hates farmers worldwide... she must live off the stuff in her garden where she hides her dog

Farmer or not, livelihood or not, the reaction is not justified. There are a surprising number of people defending a man shouting threats of coming to your house with a gun. Imagine for a moment the accident involved a car not a sheep, and these kind of violent threats were issued. I do not like abusive men. I work in paeds; people usually behave considerably better than this when their child has been knocked down by a car. Feel sorry for the sheep if you must OP, but this grotty man’s abusive behaviour has absolved you of the need to include him in your guilty feelings - and if anyone starts saying “he’s a farmer; he has a right to be angry”.... try swapping in another provocation and see if it justifies the response. The fact you acted so responsibly towards the sheep should have been an indication to him that you were not casually allowing your dog to ravage his flock. Even if he’d behaved if a civilised fashion, you were on a public footpath, marked out as dog friendly. Idiotic place to suddenly plant sheep. I live surrounded by the stupid creatures. I’ve many times had to rescue them when they get their head stuck in the fence, or heft them back to their feet when they fall over and try to die through being unable to get back up again (they used to do this rather frequently where I grew up). If they’re feeling particularly skittish, they’ll decide to stampede when the car goes past. They’re quite capable of falling into a pond with no assistance whatsoever. Cheer up - you were hit with an accident; there’d still be plenty of people glowing with piety and brimming over with “don’t you know how famously inadequate your precautions were” wisdom at you if your dog had suddenly and unexpectedly snapped their lead in town and caused a car accident, or in the park and startled a toddler into falling off a climbing frame!

You did the right thing checking on the sheep, I think I might have stayed tbh just to be sure rather than leave it wrapped in my coat.

The farmer was obviously angry, hence his reaction.

You really shouldn't walk on private land, you said you opened his gate and went in? My dh family own crop fields, every blooming day people walking dogs in it. For years the amount of damage done. You can't take for granted that there's nothing on someone's land. Dhs family have signs up, people take them down or climb the fence further up from the signs. People need to respect other people's property and find a suitable public walk way.

For those of you going on about the Farmer shouldn't need to put signs up.. i point you at the Animal Act 1971.

www.sheepwatch.co.uk/dog-attacks-on-sheep---the-law.html

Animals Act 1971
‘Where damage is caused by an animal which does not belong to a dangerous species, a keeper of the animal is liable for the damage, except as otherwise provided by this Act’
‘Liability for injury done by dogs to livestock – Where a dog causes damage by killing or injuring livestock, any person who is a keeper of the dog is liable for the damage, except as otherwise provided by this Act’
‘’damage’ includes the death of, or injury to, any person (including any disease and any impairment of physical or mental condition’

Note: The farmer will need to have signs up warning of sheep to avoid a strong defense of ‘the sheep were not normally in the field and therefore this was exceptional circumstances that the owner was not aware of’.
Link
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/22/contents

So No, they wont be allowed to destroy her dog

I am trully shocked by some of the responses to this post.
The OP is obviously very upset by what has happened, and it is admirable that she is trying to work with the farmer to compensate for damages. Also, the farmer is understandably upset by this, especially as it sounds like sheep worrying is regularly happening on his land, and although he has possibly overreacted, I appreciate his sheep safety is his priority. I understand this was an accident, but his livestock have been harmed by the dogs actions, something which should not happen on his own land. Given the time of year, his ewe may well abort lambs due to the stress of the incident. Other ewes in the field may also have suffered stress and could abort after the event. This situation sadly highlights the need for more awareness of the damage any dog can do when taken in amongst livestock. Perhaps find another dogwalking route, well away from livestock, to ensure everyone's safety and prevent the stress this has caused all parties. All dogs, no matter how well trained they are, have the capacity to chase sheep and therefore cause damage or death. Such a sad situation all round.

@Yohoheaveho
Why are you even here in the dog house?
You don't have a dog. You clearly dislike dogs as well as other animals. You are always on the AIBU dog threads expressing your contempt for dogs and cats. I spent the other day arguing with you on one of them because you couldn't see the value in rescuing a dog because it's a dog. I get you have your opinions but why come to a dog forum? It looks like you have a serious problem with dogs and get some kind of kick out of bashing them online. It's a-bit sad really.

If I hated dogs as much as you do I wouldn't go to a dog forum. Just saying..

I find this crass and offensive, I have respect and gratitude for farmers and the farming community.

But no-one should respect any person that threatens to go around to someone’s house with a gun. Anyone that respects a person like that needs help.

In our area it goes straight to dog being put down, there is no fine and there is no warning. We’re in literally the biggest tourist hotspot
does the farmer not have to provide evidence that this is justified like video footage of the attack or something🤔

It looks like you have a serious problem with dogs
No no, it doesn't make sense to blame the dog it's the fault of the owner ....always!

Lots of misinformation here. Farmers do have the right to shoot loose dogs BUT ONLY if the owner is not there to get the dog back under control. They cannot shoot for no reason and they certainly cannot shoot the dog later when it’s not in the act.

But please, please, please don’t walk your dogs near sheep, even on the lead, because you can see just how much damage they can do fro. This thread.

You done the right thing op

The point here surely is not that the lead snapped or that there aren't normally sheep in the field but that you were not in control of your dog.

You sound like a nice, caring person and you need to take on board now that your dog has now worried sheep twice because you can't control him. If you can't sort this out, you need to keep him out of fields where there may be livestock.

@Yohoheaveho

In our area it goes straight to dog being put down, there is no fine and there is no warning. We’re in literally the biggest tourist hotspot does the farmer not have to provide evidence that this is justified like video footage of the attack or something🤔

It looks like you have a serious problem with dogs
No no, it doesn't make sense to blame the dog it's the fault of the owner ....always!

There you go again.

Why come to a dog forum, e.g the dog house, when you hate them so much? I just don't get it. I can understand how you may see something doggy related on another forum like AIBU and want to give your 2 cents but to intentionally come to a forum that is all about dogs...

It sounds like you've possibly had a very bad experience with a dog/dogs? And now you get something out of bashing them and their owners online. If that's the case I don't think it's a healthy way of dealing with what happened.

Thank you for sharing your views with me Tenbananas🙂

@ArcherDog

The police won’t care. It doesn’t fall into the Livestock Act category.

So sorry this has happened, its one of my worst fears that my lead should snap and my dog will chase sheep.
The sheep didn’t die. It will be fine.
Just don’t walk there again for a while.

The police bloody should care. It's causing fear and alarm to another living creature and it's not ok.

However it was an accident and the OP took responsibility and dealt with it the best way she possibly could.

OP, I hope you're okay after such an awful experience. I would be devastated too.

To intentionally come to a forum that is all about dogs
when on Mumsnet I often go straight to the 'active' tab, I look for threads that seem interesting and join in if I feel so inclined
rather than coming intentionally to a specific part of the forum my intention is to select threads which appeal to me out of those which are currently active
are you saying that one requires a specific invitation to post in certain parts of the website?

@Yohoheaveho

To intentionally come to a forum that is all about dogs when on Mumsnet I often go straight to the 'active' tab, I look for threads that seem interesting and join in if I feel so inclined rather than coming intentionally to a specific part of the forum my intention is to select threads which appeal to me out of those which are currently active are you saying that one requires a specific invitation to post in certain parts of the website?

Not at all. You are obviously allowed to go where you want. I just find it strange how you always end up on these threads, often getting super involved and posting multiple times, when you have such a clear hatred dislike of dogs and cats.

Cats🤔
I don't remember having much to say on the subject of cats 🤔
Sure you're not thinking of someone else? 🐈🐾

@Yohoheaveho

Cats🤔 I don't remember having much to say on the subject of cats 🤔 Sure you're not thinking of someone else? 🐈🐾

You always have loads to say about cats and the fact that they sh*t like every other mammal... oh the audacity. An example...

'I agree, and it's not ok for cat owners to laugh it off with 'oh hahaha you know what cats are like'
bottom line this is your animal creating a health hazard in someone else private property!
That said, I'm not sure how the problem of cat soiling should be dealt with? (apart from water pistols?'

Sorry to derail your thread, OP. But this needs to be said.