walkers left gate open

[old joe]

FYI

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7835000.stm

dazza

[Llanigraham]

Typical!!

Local farmer shot someones dog up here the other day, after they stopped to look at the view and have a cup of coffee, and let the dog out "for a little run". Not a good idea in a field of heavily pregnant ewes!!

[ChrisV8]

Absolutely typical, but of course all the countryside is owned by the Ramblers so the farmer is at fault for putting his cows there anyway 

A farmer is I understand quite at liberty to shoot a dog worrying stock, it has happened a few times up near our cottage in Northumberland, especially when the hippy travellers were about !

[Llanigraham]

Correct.
Understand they complained to the Police about it, and were told that perhaps they would like the bill for any loss of the ewes that aborted, plus the vets bill, plus the bill for disposing of the ewes and lambs!!

[Nick4X4]

I know that farm as i use to work for that estate years ago.
The farm is part of Broadlands and i know that some footpaths have been closed that run through the estate,
I can see them getting all of them closed

[merlin617]

If any of us had left that gate open while laning, I would imagine it would incur the death penalty.

[T30CDB]

A farmer is I understand quite at liberty to shoot a dog worrying stock, it has happened a few times up near our cottage in Northumberland, especially when the hippy travellers were about !

several years ago in derbyshire by the roaches we were walking across a field to get to the roaches to climb when a ram started to attack our dog ( a white parsons jack russel ). when we had crossed the field and met the farmer he informed us that he was in his rights to shoot the dog until we pointed out that it was his ram attacking our dog. i asked him had i the right to shoot his ram in that case to which he walked off. several other climbers that day had said they had the ram run right up to then. What are the laws regarding keeping dangerous animals in fields with public footpaths running through them.

[thermidorthelobster]

What are the laws regarding keeping dangerous animals in fields with public footpaths running through them.

I don't think there are any laws compelling people to walk across public footpaths crossing farmers' fields with bulls / rams in them :)

[Llanigraham]

The Law only says that a farmer cannot keep an untethered bull in a field containing a RoW. A ram is not considered a "dangerous animal".
I think the RA have stated that most animal injuries are actually caused by cows!!

[Range Rover Blues]

Correct.
Understand they complained to the Police about it, and were told that perhaps they would like the bill for any loss of the ewes that aborted, plus the vets bill, plus the bill for disposing of the ewes and lambs!!

Bring it on, "you can take it out of all the subsidies my tax money pays you"

The farmer is required to prove that his livestick was at risk from the dog and even then has a duty to use fireamrs safely, discharging them in the general direction of people having a picnic is not safe, so just how far had the dogs run?

[Llanigraham]

Correct.
Understand they complained to the Police about it, and were told that perhaps they would like the bill for any loss of the ewes that aborted, plus the vets bill, plus the bill for disposing of the ewes and lambs!!

Bring it on, "you can take it out of all the subsidies my tax money pays you"

The farmer is required to prove that his livestick was at risk from the dog and even then has a duty to use fireamrs safely, discharging them in the general direction of people having a picnic is not safe, so just how far had the dogs run?

The dogs were running loose in a large field that contained heavy ewes, and the shot was away from them

[3laner]

At the end of the day the countryside is not a playground it is a place of work and a source of livelihood to many (and food to all) and so should be treated as such.

[Disco Matt]

I think the RA have stated that most animal injuries are actually caused by cows!!

I can't say that I'm surprised. To a lot of people a cow looks like a docile, friendly thing. I'd advise them to read a few of the James Herriot books as his experiences of dealing with grouchy cattle would be a real eye-opener!