Tragic event with friend's dog

agent_orange_2

We have just looked after our friend's dogs. Yesterday morning, just before our friends were due to arrive back in the UK, we took the dogs out for their morning walk. The walk is along side farm land on a quiet , public right-of-way track. One of the dogs (9 months old Patterdale) is a little unruly. As we approached the end of the walk, where the farmers property is situated, there were some chickens roaming the path - the little patterdale made chase and the chickens went in all directions - feathers flying. I attempted to get hold of the dog - he wouldn't listen to any command, unfortunately his mind was on one thing. The dog managed to squeeze through a small gap in the farmer's fence onto the Farmer's land. The chickens were clucking and running everywhere and then the farmer came out of his house - he must have picked up a stick, because the next thing I knew he made a massive swipe at the dog. The dog made the most pitiful yelps and just lay on the ground.
I went through the gate, by the time I got to where the dog had been slain, the dog had moved or been moved by the farmer. The farmer was kneeling over the poor dog, the dog had a huge lump over his eye and the actual eye was absolutely full of blood. To be honest I thought the dog was going to die. The farmer just said "why don't people just control their dogs" - he appeared quite shook up and sad it had ended like that. I picked the dog up and carried him to the car - fortunately the vet's surgery was around the corner. A vet was able to see the dog right away and things are not looking as bad as I had originally feared. They are not sure if the dog's eyesight is damaged yet, the eye is so swollen and closed.
As you can imagine, it was a truly a shocking event. We had to phone our friend's to try and explain.
I spoke with the owners this morning and they say, thankfully, the dog is a lot more 'perky' today and has eaten his meal. They have also mentioned that are going to inform the RSPCA about the incident. I am feeling really sad, having not put the dog on a lead.


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foreign_correspondent

you are lucky - he could have shot the dog and been completely within the law (actually I though the dog was dead, as you said it had been 'slain'!).

I do not think it was unreasonable for him to hit the dog when it was on his property, attacking his livestock. (Unfortunate, unpleasant and sad, yes - unreasonable or illegal, no) Terriers tend to have a high prey drive and really need to be watched around livestock - patterdales are bred to catch and kill small animals, and are not the dogs for everyone - it can be hard as you cannot always predict what is around the corner...

My sympathies, and I hope the dog makes a full recovery, but I think it is just something to be wary of in the future - please note, I am not minimising what happened, I would be absolutely gutted and livid if it happened to my dog, but then I would be if someone else's dog had hold of my chickens!

agent_orange_2

I'm not trying to lay any blame onto the Farmer. I'm aware that he would have been within his rights to shoot the dog. I accept it was ultimately my responsibility to have the dog under control. It was a sad event that could easily have been avoided and it has left me shocked.

SugarSpun

agent_orange wrote: »

They have also mentioned that are going to inform the RSPCA about the incident. I am feeling really sad, having not put the dog on a lead.

There's nothing the RSPCA can do. The farmer was totally within his rights to protect his livestock. If you take a dog with an inbred instinct to attack small animals past a farm, the dog needs to be on a leash to protect him as well as the animals.

Did you offer to pay the dog's vet bills? Since the incident was your responsibility I'd say it's the least you can do.

YorkiePud_3

I can't believe this .... if you look after someone else's animals, you tend to be MORE protective of them ... making sure they are ok and that nothing happens to them.

Doesn't matter if it is a quiet little lane or a busy road, when you KNOW the dog is unruly (as you said), you should never have had it off the lead. You don't know what you will meet along the way so if you know what the dog can be like, you have to make provision so that nothing CAN happen.
You knew the dog's character and should have had it on a lead for its own safety.

As has been said, the farmer was well within his rights to do what he did. His livestock is his living ... most people know that, by law, any dog causing a nuisance to farm animals can be dealt with by the farmer.

I really hope you offered to pay the vet's bill because this was entirely your fault. I'm glad you feel shocked because you deserve to ... but whatever you are feeling will only be a tiny percentage of what that poor little dog and its owners will be feeling right now.

agent_orange_2

Well YorkiePud, you've made me feel a lot worse. It's strange how the self-righteous
spring up on these forums, I hope nothing ill befalls you.

YorkiePud_3

Good because you deserve to ... anyone who causes hurt or harm to an animal should feel bad ... and this is just what you did by knowing what the dog could be like and not taking it into consideration and keeping the dog on a lead.
Worse still, it not being your dog ... my heart goes out to your friend, the farmer and to the little dog.

To your friend because your friend trusted you with their dog ... trusted you to not put it into a situation where something could happen and you took it upon yourself to have the dog off the lead knowing it could be a bit of a tinker ...

To the farmer, because nobody ever wants to be in the position where they have to protect their livestock by killing someone's pet ... I know a lot of farmers who have been put in this position and have had to act to keep their livestock safe ... big, burly fellas who look like they could fell a tree by just looking at it ... yet I have seen them sob because of what they had to do ...

And to that little dog ... who would have enjoyed the walk just as much had it been on a lead and safe. The pain, the fear and the panic you have caused that little dog is beyond reproach.
Had this been accidental then I would have had sympathy with you but you knew what the dog could be like and didn't ensure it was under control.

Oh, and I am not self righteous and have not "just" sprung up on these forums! *L* ... I joined up in September 2007! .. I have never been without a dog from being a child but, thank God, none of my dogs have ever had anything like this happen to them that has been through my own causing.

foxybabe

OMG, I really connot believe how nasty and hurtful some people on some of these threads can be. Anyone would think that they had never made a mistake.

I feel sorry for both the farmer and the OP (who by the way has accepted responsibility from the start). This is a very unfortunate incident from which I am sure valuable lessons will be learned.

I hope the dog makes a full recovery and the OP soon feels better.

YorkiePud_3

Can we have an update on the dog? Have you heard anything, OP?

PasturesNew

awww... I'm glad he lived... and I don't even like dogs.
Hate suffering though

1sue23

Sorry thanked YorkiePud in error I feel for you it must have been horrible for you the dog and the farmer, and none of us are perfect annd fault free I once owned a yorkshire terrier who jumped from a moving boat and through a fence and into a field of sheep he then gave chase and caused panic to myself and the sheep ,we pulled the boat in and luckily my dog had given up chasing to roll in and eat sheep muck but I felt terrible about it .
luckily no harm was done and the sheep carried on grazing but if the farmer had witnessed what have happened I would not have blamed him for one second if he had harmed my dog I only had myself to blame and a lesson was learned .I hope the dog makes a full recovery and from now on is to be kept on a lead at all times when out near livestock ,my dog was from that day was tethered when on the boat never to be trusted not to do the same thing .