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 live in a sheep area. I’m sure I remember cases as a child where dogs were pts after chasing sheep. I still see dogs on rescue sites that have added to their description that they must be rehomed in an area without sheep as they’ve been given to the rescue because they’ve chased sheep. My mums dog was shot by our neighbour (farmer) for just being at the edge of his field sniffing around. It didn’t chase sheep.

And quite, Poorlykitren, of course dogs still have to stick to the footpath line and have no right to go elsewhere in the field. I can’t believe someone said they could earlier!! People like that are the reason we fence our footpaths in wherever we can so there’s no access to the field, just a track.

@BillieSpain

Oh Lord, quite rightly you feel awful.

The poor farmer, poor sheep. Of course the farmer shouted.

To not have a reliable lead and walk through a field of sheep is unforgiveable, I just cross my fingers all the sheep are OK.

I realise you are sorry but it really isn't enough.

I'm really struggling to see wtf else she could have done. She was on a public footpath through a field in which she's never seen sheep before. Her dog was on a lead that up until now had been reliable - why on earth would she think it not reliable without hearing/experienced evidence to the contrary. She tried to turn back when she saw the sheep. She acted when it happened. She offered to pay. It. Was. An. Accident.

I'm glad you're blessed with such prescient wisdom that you've never, ever had an accident in your life. Let's hope for the sake of the spot you're claiming on the moral high ground that you never do have one, eh?

@Yohoheaveho

Sounds like the 'shoot on sight' thing is a bit 'urban myth' then

No, its not, it is an actual law. Farmers can shoot a dog worrying their sheep, but there's a lot of legal circumstances of how it can be done/when it shouldn't be.

www.fwi.co.uk/farm-life/law-shooting-dogs-critical-facts-farmers-must-know

the general gist of that if people dont want to read is

The dog must be unattended. (you can't shoot if the owner is present without giving them chance to bring the dog under control)

It MUST be actively worrying the sheep/in danger of causing death or injury.

It MUST be trespassing (You cant shoot a dog you've given permission to be there)

You MUST NOT shoot a police dog, guide dog, working dog or pack hound.

You MUST not cause unnecessary suffering to the animal, so if you dont kill it cleanly, you must get it medical attention.

You must report any shooting to the police within 48hrs.

I wonder if farmers would welcome info from members of the public as to the activities of irresponsible dogowners on their land?
or in other words is it worth shooting footage or taking pictures if you see anything and sending it to the farmer?
Or should it go to the police instead 🤔

probably the police, but i cant see it hurting to let the specific farmer know.. gives him chance to cover his ass with adding signage about keeping dogs on leads...etc

@starsparkle08

I would be furious with you too , that poor sheep .

I think the extendable lead needs to go and use a short lead instead .
Surely you would have known the lead had some weakness in it

No sympathy for you here

Considering the extendable lead broke I think it's safe to say it has gone....

Why the fuck is the farmer keeping sheep in a field with a pond in it.. !!!!!! Numb nuts.

Don't worry op as awful as it sounds.. when I first started reading the post I thought you had left it to drown.

The poor thing is fine and out of the sodding pond and the farmer needs to learn some manners. Disrespectful so n so!!

You will laugh about this one day.. all part of life's rich tapestry xxx

@Peachee

Why the fuck is the farmer keeping sheep in a field with a pond in it.. !!!!!! Numb nuts.

Don't worry op as awful as it sounds.. when I first started reading the post I thought you had left it to drown.

The poor thing is fine and out of the sodding pond and the farmer needs to learn some manners. Disrespectful so n so!!

You will laugh about this one day.. all part of life's rich tapestry xxx

What thought process have you actually gone through to conclude that sheep shouldn't be in a field with a pond?

Why shouldn't a farmer keep a sheep in a field with a pond in it? What about rivers? Streams? Large water troughs? How do you suggest the animals get a drink?

Fields with natural water sources in them are far preferable to having animals crowding round a water trough or a bucket.

Ponds are rarely an issue unless loose dogs are chasing sheep into them.

Someone probably needs to urgently tell all the farmers in the lake district that their sheep are in imminent mortal danger from grazing the hills adjacent to the lakes too...

... if the pond hadn't been there for the sheep to jump into, the sheep would almost certainly have been attacked or worse.

@Missreginafalange

When I say the extendable lead needs to go , I mean she shouldn’t buy a new extendable lead but a short one to keep her dog close to side and under control

Why the fuck is the farmer keeping sheep in a field with a pond in it.. !!!!!! Numb nuts.

Why the fuck SHOULDN'T he?

I feel for you as this must have been awful.

You know how serious this is and how lucky you are that the sheep is ok, that your dog didn't get shot and that no further action will be taken.

Those who are critical on this thread have obviously upset you, but they are not wrong.

You clearly want reassurance that you and your dog are not wicked - you have got that too.

I have had bad experiences with extendable leads snapping or being bitten through by someone's dog - my dogs have been attacked on three occasions. These leads are so breakable, which is a shame as they are a great idea in principle,

Hope you have calmed down and that the sheep recovers. The poor thing, falling into a pond in this weather.

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel - Exactly. The farmer doesn’t care about the welfare of his sheep or lambs or whatever. He only cares about their financial worth. These are animals that are destined to end up on a dinner plate for God’s sake.

Imagine making a threat to go to someone’s house with a gun to shoot their dog because you have lost a bit of money. I own a nursery - I lose money all the time when parents leave without giving notice or when the government only pay a proportion of what ‘free’ hours actually cost. That threatens my livelihood, but it doesn’t give me the right to go charging round to someone’s house with a gun to get my money.

In business, you just have to accept that sometimes you will suffer losses? What’s wrong with taking the dog owner to the small claims court like any other civilised business owner who has suffered a financial loss? What makes farmers so special that they should act like it’s the Wild West? Do people really think this level of vengeance is ok in a civilised society?

@Signonthewindow, in general I'm with you in your assessment that this was an accident for which OP is genuinely very sorry and has done as much as she reasonably could to make up for it.

Except for the issue of why on earth she went into the field without checking. I get it that there had never been sheep in there when she went in before, but fields tend to be large flat green things whereas sheep tend to be white woolly things that are difficult to miss. And if a field is obvious pasture land, a farmer may well put animals in there at any time. You would think she might have been inclined to check before opening the gate, if only for her own safety and that of her dog.

@EYProvider the problem is, it’s lambing time. One ewe is spoiled and chased and the others are terrified too. Can cause spontaneous miscarriages, not just for the one ewe but the others too. Especially if it keeps happening. It can end up costing a lot of money and yes, they may end up on the dinner plate but most farmers I know try to give their animals a good life while they are alive. Both parties are in the wrong but I can imagine how annoyed the farmer must be. It happens all the time. Twice in our village recently.

@Peachee why not? A source of water for them to drink? It’s luck the pond was there otherwise the sheep might be dead...

*spooked! Not spoiled!

if the pond hadn't been there for the sheep to jump into
yer, props to that sheep, had a plan and carried it out in a very stressful situation!

What’s wrong with taking the dog owner to the small claims court like any other civilised business owner who has suffered a financial loss?
It's a salient point....does anyone know why farmers do things the way they do?

You need to buy a new lead and use it all the time.

Dogs are shot by farmers round here.

my other half grew up working on farms, I'll ask him about the dog shooting thing later .....when we're out with our pack of elephant killing megadogs jacked up on steroids

@Poorlykitten - Yes, of course, I get that the farmer was annoyed. It is infuriating when your business loses money because of someone else’s mistake. But doesn’t give anyone the right to threaten another person with a gun.

I am honestly amazed that anyone could try to justify this.

The farmer has every right to take the dog owner to court. He should not have the right to terrorise the dog owner and threaten to shoot the dog. Not in a civilised society. That is how a gangster acts when he loses money - not a reasonable human being.

Though apparently it seems that farmers do shoot dogs in these circumstances - which horrifies me frankly.

Dogs are like children to many people. I would never get over it if someone shot my dog in cold blood. Especially for the sake of a few lousy quid.

@Mischance - What a awful place you must live in.

Backward, primitive.

Why would anyone tolerate that sort of terrorism?

Dogs are like children to many people. I would never get over it if someone shot my dog in cold blood. Especially for the sake of a few lousy quid. Believe it or not some sheep are worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Some of my breeding rams are just as precious to me as your dog is to you. And not in monetary terms either.
Local to me a local vicar's wife was charged by the police over this and she was tried in court.