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..

My aunt looks like Vera Stanhope
@JackieLavertysWeirdVoice

She sounds fab, if I ever go out to the countryside again I shall be looking out for her.

BBC breakfast news today ... Watch on catch-up if can't view live.

Then your see the reason why you always keep your dog on the lead .

Farmer upset showing all his dead livestock and lambs laying in a pile where a dog has chased and attacked them. A dog that doesn't chase anything usually!

I saw that on the Beeb - utterly horrible, and entirely preventable just by keeping dogs on leads

@lms2017

BBC breakfast news today ... Watch on catch-up if can't view live.

Then your see the reason why you always keep your dog on the lead .

Farmer upset showing all his dead livestock and lambs laying in a pile where a dog has chased and attacked them. A dog that doesn't chase anything usually!

Exactly. Forty sheep killed through people's thoughtlessness

And doubtless the OP and her misguided supporters still feel aggrieved that they have to use dog leads 😫 People’s selfishness knows no bounds.

Will the owner be made to pay the farmer for the full cost of the loss? They absolutely should.

Just seen the BBC. I have a collie, extremely well trained and never normally walked on a lead. He is actually off a sheep farm, but I would still keep him on around lifestock.

@LST

Just seen the BBC. I have a collie, extremely well trained and never normally walked on a lead. He is actually off a sheep farm, but I would still keep him on around lifestock.

As would any decent person. Sadly, as we’ve seen on this thread, the ‘special people’ are far from decent 🙄

My Dad and Son came across a young cow in a field that had clearly been mauled by a dog(s), the cow was lying down and his leg was partially torn off, he had to try and find the farmer, which luckily he did and the poor cow had to be put down.