Told by the farmer to keep dog on a lead?

[mudstuck]

I was walking my dog through a field and the farmer came up on his tractor and complained that he had seen my dog off the lead. There are no sheep or livestock around, and I would always always put her on a lead if I there was any chance of encountering any livestock.I did raise the fact that the field was empty with him and he said there are young pheasants going about... I apologised and agreed to keep her on a lead in future. However on reflection I am wondering if he is in the right to ask that of us? My dog doesn't have a very high prey drive at all and lives happily with three house cats. I don't allow her to chase wildlife although her recall, even though it's good, is not 100% and we have had the very occasional chase of a squirrel or deer. She probably would chase a pheasant if she saw one running away but she would never catch it. What do you think? Like I said I am happy to keep her on a lead just for an easy life. I live close to the farmer and don't want the trouble/conflict. Just wondering who is in the right..

@Wombatt

Blimey you've had some uneducated responses. No, by law you don't have to keep your dog on lead. You need to keep it under control. No the farmer cannot shoot your dog for simply being off lead. That's absurd. Mumsnet can be a strange place and these threads seem to bring all the mouth frothers out. The reason no one has quoted a law at you is because there isn't one!

@Wombatt Countryside & Rights of Act 2000, Dogs on short leads from 1st March to 31st July on access land.

'So do you suggest there shouldn't be any predator control and the ground nesting birds should just be left to die out? I don't think it's something to laugh about really?'

I'm laughing at someone gushing that they are 'attached to wildlife' except the ones they shoot.

Perhaps some of you need to read up on public rights of way.

Under control does not have to equal being on a lead on a public right of way when there isn't any livestock about.

In Scotland at this time of year, that is incorrect.

He must be on a lead on public access land between April and July, even there is no livestock nearby.

If your dog is able to walk under control 2m or less from you then buy a slip lead for use on land where it’s a requirement. It won’t mind a loose lead if it’s so perfectly trained.
Other dog walkers don’t admire your training ability, we just think you are selfish dicks giving the rest of us a bad name.

'You do as the farmer says and don't do that again. Do you want your dog shot? You got a fair warning.'

🙄

The comments about 'his land his rules' - he may not own the land. He could be a tenant farmer. Also, footpaths across fields can be public bridleways and footpaths and not owned by a farmer.

Just because you live 'rural' (what, your new build estate looks over a wheat field?) doesn't mean you know anything about farming & the law.

Public footpaths are rights of way across private land. Whether the farmer is a tenant or owner, it is his land, not a common.

This thread was never going to be friendly.. op you have walked right into this one.

@MiaChia

You don't sound like a very good animal lover yourself. You're massively concerned for the livelihood of the farmer who makes his living from the terrorising and killing of these birds, yet I am somehow cruel for having dog off lead when she has never so much as chased a pheasant.

I accept I should have my dog on lead. That's fine. Don't have to like it or agree with it.

Keep your predator under full control
this!

Sorry, you’re really in the wrong here. The farmer would have every right to shoot your dog if it was on his land off lead. I’m surprised he didn’t give you more of a bollocking, and I’m even more surprised that you’re even questioning whether he was in the right or not.

If you have a dog, you have a responsibility to know when nesting season is and walk your dog accordingly. My dog is only off lead on paths and dog fields at the moment.

@AllThatisSolid

The comments about 'his land his rules' - he may not own the land. He could be a tenant farmer. Also, footpaths across fields can be public bridleways and footpaths and not owned by a farmer.

Just because you live 'rural' (what, your new build estate looks over a wheat field?) doesn't mean you know anything about farming & the law.

Public footpaths are rights of way across private land. Whether the farmer is a tenant or owner, it is his land, not a common.

Yeah I tried pointing that out and got told to read @LeilaLiesLow post again.

So I did, and decided it was definitely her that didn't seem to understand what she had written and my response to it and not me.

@Janiiejones
I think you'd feel inclined to shoot crows if you saw or knew about the horrendenous damage they can do when ewes are lambing. I don't want to post any links here, as the images are gruesome and graphic.

Surely taking a dog for a walk is supposed to be an enjoyable activity not an act of protest. Life is too short.

I’d keep the dog on a lead. Even arable farmers have firearms licences and keep rifles with sights on them that can hit a target a km away.

Our neighbours dog was shot by a sheep farmer, he was a lovely German Shepard with a spectacularly feckless owner.

@Scrowy @AllThatisSolid

A public right of way is not applicable Scottish law.
OP is allowed to access farmland.

The interacting laws are:

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (LRA) and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (the Code), and key nature conservation legislation, in particular the Habitats Regulations and the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (NCA),

Which say that

In Scotland on grassland, moorland, forest, Loch shores and seashores during the breeding season dogs need to be on a short leash or at heel.

"on a short lead or under close control”

"A short lead is taken to be two metres and ‘under close control’ means that the dog is able to respond to your commands and is kept close at heel."

@JackieLavertysWeirdVoice absolutely!! That made me laugh, especially the willingness to get into the back of the disgusting jeep.

@StarCat2020 my day was made by hill walkers today. I took baby and toddler to a quiet area by the river. Some not so nice people had been having a party. Cans, bottles, paper and plastic everywhere. Plus branches and debris. I was starting to gather it up whilst stopping Dd falling in river and some hill walkers came rushing over. Had words with me for touching rubbish with a baby in a pram incase of germs! And gushed over both while we had a joint effort to put it back to its normality. So I went from raging to thinking some people are really decent.

'think you'd feel inclined to shoot crows'

I'm not interested tbh animals bred for slaughter aren't exactly destined for a nice life are they? though of course farmers would be out of pocket. The 'we love wildlife' is a bit selective that's all.

Ok...not derailing I hope, but am interested re those who are seemingly horrified at dogs chasing pheasants....are you aware that come shooting season the farmers/landowners use beaters with dogs to put the pheasants up to be shot...?

@LeilaLiesLow

I live rural (England) and have never ever heard this. Farmers have put signs on gates asking dog walkers to put dogs on leads when walking through fields with sheep. These signs are take down when the sheep leave the fields.

Also I would query if pheasants are 'protected' as they are not necessarily livestock unless being bred for shoots.

The comments about 'his land his rules' - he may not own the land. He could be a tenant farmer. Also, footpaths across fields can be public bridleways and footpaths and not owned by a farmer.

This is absolute garbage! Of course footpaths are owned by the farmers - who do you think owns them! You may have a right to use them responsibly but that is all. All dog walkers should also be aware that grass is a crop and as such is sprayed regularly with weedkiller and fertilizers. I suggest for that reason alone, anyone who cares about their pets would keep off the farmer's grass.

OK, I'm not usually in the dog house section but it was on trending topics so I clicked!
Of COURSE you put your dog on a leash when out in fields/farmers land, even I know that and I'm not a dog person!
Right up there in your country code everyone should know.

@Blinkingbotheration

Ok...not derailing I hope, but am interested re those who are seemingly horrified at dogs chasing pheasants....are you aware that come shooting season the farmers/landowners use beaters with dogs to put the pheasants up to be shot...?

I live next to a shoot so, yes, clever old me knows exactly how it works 🤣 Next question please but make it a bit more difficult this time!

You are sounding very very precious. FFS just follow the farmers request. An Aussie from down under here. If you didn't follow the local rules your dog hopefully won't get hurt but maybe you could. Suck it up princess.

For me the cry of the curlew marks the start of spring, it's a beautiful sound. Curlews return year after year to breed where they were born, even if they breed unsuccessfully year after year because the nests are predated on or disturbed regularly.

@Scrowy thank you so much for your beautiful post. It's making me miss home (I was brought up on a farm in the north - I've seen what so-called 'domesticated' dogs can do to lambs).

There are lots of folk on this thread who seem to think the farmer can shot a dog just for being off lead in an empty field

Perhaps it's not so much about what they can do, but what some will do if they've seen one too many uncontrolled dogs on their land. This is why some owners simply don't take the chance, knowing that it'll be their word against the farmer's

There's not much point spouting the law once a dog's dead, and even less of getting a prosecution. I'm not suggesting you're one of them, OP, but there are too many irresponsible dog owners for that