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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My dog has just done the worst thing

711 replies

93sdb · 09/02/2021 15:53

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.

OP posts:
CakeIsEternal · 09/02/2021 18:16

Why was your dog on an extendable lead when going through field using public footpaths. Your dog must allowed to wander over the fields. You, and your dog, need to stay on the footpaths. Even if there were no sheep in the field, your dog should not have been on an extendable lead because you need to keep it under control and on the public footpaths.

alltheadrenalin · 09/02/2021 18:17

By the way I am vegan.

^^ shocker 😆

WinterIsGone · 09/02/2021 18:17

It's not just extendable leads. My DH had our dog (a collie cross) on a normal lead, fell over, dropped the lead, and our dog immediately went off towards the sheep, even though he doesn't normally take much notice of them when he's on a lead. Luckily, he's got good recall, and came straight back, but it was lucky we noticed immediately.

Mouseparty · 09/02/2021 18:18

The lead snapped. It’s unfortunate but not your fault.

Bisquiteen · 09/02/2021 18:19

To all you pious vegans - farmers do care about their livestock. How would you feel if you were chased, heavily pregnant, into a pond? Not a nice way to die eh? Also for the record, I do not eat any of the animals I farm, not a single one. I'm a vegetarian.

Also, for the record, sheep can die of shock days after a horrible experience like this. I am country born and bred and it's something I've known all my life but it doesn't take much research to skill yourselves up and buy a strong lead that is suitable for your dog so that there is no chance of it escaping and chasing livestock does it?

Keratinsmooth · 09/02/2021 18:19

Your dog was out of control, yes the lead snapped but it was out of control. You couldn’t stop it from chasing the sheep. The farmer is right to be angry. That sheep may well lose its lamb and others that were chased. I’m not sure if I would contact the farmer again and I certainly wouldn’t ever revisit the field. What are you looking to gain from that?

Have a stiff drink, buy a new lead. Tomorrow is a new day

yohoheaveho · 09/02/2021 18:20

A farmer in my road shot a dog for sheep worrying recently
maybe some of the bad dog owners will wake up a bit now.
You sound like a decent sort OP, sorry you've been through such a lot

nocoolnamesleft · 09/02/2021 18:20

It was an accident, but extendable leads are a fucking menace. I was knocked off my feet by a large dog wrapping it's extendable lead around my ankles. Fortunately I fell away from the cliff edge. Owner didn't even apologise.

TillyTopper · 09/02/2021 18:20

It's awful, and a tough thing to happen - but the lead snapped. Make sure you keep the lead so you can prove that. Personally I wouldn't go there, he sounds way too angry.

speakout · 09/02/2021 18:21

Im heartbroken.

Poor you.

Impatiens · 09/02/2021 18:22

It may be a public footpath through a field, but dogs are ALWAYS MEANT TO BE ON A LEAD in areas like this.

Is this a law? Because I've never heard of it.

Doingitaloneandproud · 09/02/2021 18:25

@alltheadrenalin

By the way I am vegan.

^^ shocker 😆

Grin
jaundicedoutlook · 09/02/2021 18:25

Don’t accept any liability in writing, keep the lead, notify your dog insurer, don’t communicate proactively on the matter again, wait for the farmer to act, and let the insurer’s legal liability team deal with it.

Tal45 · 09/02/2021 18:26

You did all you could OP, plenty would have just gone off and pretended it was nothing to do with them. He can't shoot a dog that's not currently worrying the sheep. I do know someone whose dog was a repeat offender and was shot while sheep worrying. Unfortunately people don't walk their dogs enough and they like to escape around here, we've had a few problems.

Alternista · 09/02/2021 18:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

speakout · 09/02/2021 18:27

You did all you could OP,

Rubbish.

ktp100 · 09/02/2021 18:27

@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.

How entitled is this!! It's his field, ffs!!

Maybe a sign after today but the message here is not 'Farmers; be careful with your sheep on your own land' it's 'Dog owners, keep your dogs on a feckin leash on other people's land'!

Unbelievable!!

OP, it's done now, try to let it go. It's lovely of you to pop up and check on the sheep and to offer to pay vets bills, etc. I don't think most would.

A big lesson learned here, unfortunately but hopefully all involved will be fine.

Tal45 · 09/02/2021 18:28

From ramblers.org
There's no law which says that a dog must be kept on a lead when using a public right of way, but local authorities can make orders under section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to make it a requirement on specific paths. Walkers with dogs should take particular care when crossing fields where animals are being grazed.

1WayOrAnother2 · 09/02/2021 18:28

I think you behaved honourably OP.

I've known other sheep-chasing incidents where the dog-owner disappeared leaving carnage behind for the devastated farmer (my young cousin- her herd was never the same again.) No doubt they had a shoulder-shrugging 'dogs will be dogs' attitude.

You took responsibility at once.

Yes - you made an error - and it wasn't something you could undo. However, there was some bad luck here too.

Strong leads for us all in future!

PixellatedPixie · 09/02/2021 18:28

In our area the sheep are always behind an electrified fence. The farmer moves the fence around depending on where the sheep are grazing and it doesn’t seem to take him very long to move and then set the fences up.

CakeIsEternal · 09/02/2021 18:28

@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.

Snoringmouse · 09/02/2021 18:28

Hope you are alright op, ignore the vindictive posters who are taking out the misery of their lives on to you.
Our farmer puts signs up on the fields here when he moves his sheep. I have no idea what the farmer thought shouting at your Dad was going to achieve.

I haven’t read the whole thread (shoot me now) but I imagine it’s full of posts saying how kind farmers are to their animals Hmm

Eckhart · 09/02/2021 18:29

@speakout

You did all you could OP,

Rubbish.

Have you a point to make, or is that thing happening where, sometimes, words just come out?
CakeIsEternal · 09/02/2021 18:30

The dog should have been on a short lead. The OP must have been totally observant to open a gate without realising there were farm animals in the field. The dog should have been out onto it's short lead before having the chance to get any momentum going and the OP should have had him under control before opening the gate, or not opened the gate at all. This is entirely her fault. It isnt unlucky or just one of those things.

ktp100 · 09/02/2021 18:31

@yohoheaveho

A farmer in my road shot a dog for sheep worrying recently maybe some of the bad dog owners will wake up a bit now. You sound like a decent sort OP, sorry you've been through such a lot
THIS is the actual nightmare, isn't it.

They're well within their rights to and they do, more frequently than most realise.

I doubt the farmer will believe that the lead snapped in this particular incident but again, a lesson learned in checking that leads aren't thinning.

The OP fell unlucky here but it could have been much worse.