Tragic event with friend's dog

mrcol1000

I am not so sure that the farmer is within his rights to harm the dog. It is an offence to cause suffering to a dog. Had he shot it dead then he would have been within his rights because he would not have cause it any suffering just death.
I don't think either side is really to blame. The dog should have been on a lead. The farmer did what he needed to stop it. You just accept it. I would pay the vets fees though as you really shouldn't let the dog off the lead unless your 100% sure the dog isn't going to cause any problems. Anyway lesson learnt.

agent_orange_2

YorkiePud wrote: »

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.

You misunderstood me. I don't have the faintest interest in how long you have been a registered member of this forum - it counts for nothing. My point, there are far too many posters who come across as nasty and vindictive - you are one.

agent_orange_2

I popped around to see the dog this afternoon. He's up and about, though feeling very sorry for himself. His eye is still swollen and closed so it is difficult to tell if he has sustained any damage to his eye sight. He'll be off to the vet tomorrow afternoon for a closer examination.

YorkiePud_3

agent_orange wrote: »

You misunderstood me. I don't have the faintest interest in how long you have been a registered member of this forum - it counts for nothing. My point, there are far too many posters who come across as nasty and vindictive - you are one.

Well it is up to you to take me however you want to. I just give my 100% honest opinion, as do everyone else. We all have different opinions and give them freely on here. I don't give my opinion as a personal attack, I just tell it how I see it.

YorkiePud_3

agent_orange wrote: »

I popped around to see the dog this afternoon. He's up and about, though feeling very sorry for himself. His eye is still swollen and closed so it is difficult to tell if he has sustained any damage to his eye sight. He'll be off to the vet tomorrow afternoon for a closer examination.

Thanks for that ... I was worried it might start him off having fits as some knocks to the head can ... fingers crossed there is no damage to his eye. I hope all goes well for him tomorrow at the vets.

ali-t

agent_orange wrote: »

I popped around to see the dog this afternoon. He's up and about, though feeling very sorry for himself. His eye is still swollen and closed so it is difficult to tell if he has sustained any damage to his eye sight. He'll be off to the vet tomorrow afternoon for a closer examination.

Are your friends still speaking to you? If I left my dog with anyone and that happened, not only would I be fuming at myself for leaving the dog with someone who couldn't look after it but the person I left the dog with would be off my xmas card list.

If you are a novice with dogs please don't beat yourself up about it as I am sure this has been a lesson learned in a very hard way. terriers are very determined little beasts and not for the faint hearted.

YorkiePud_3

1sue23 wrote: »

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 .

I had a Yorkshire terrier who was just the same. People think awww, little cuties, butter wouldn't melt etc ... but mine was a soenso if any cats came into the garden ... it was like sweetheart to psycho in 6 seconds flat with him trying to climb the wall to get to them!
I always had to watch him around any other dogs, cats, etc and he was never allowed to be free when we were out. Just couldn't trust him. All he could see was the chase ...

homeworkgirl

agent_orange wrote: »

You misunderstood me. I don't have the faintest interest in how long you have been a registered member of this forum - it counts for nothing. My point, there are far too many posters who come across as nasty and vindictive - you are one.

It is obvious that agent orange feels bad enough already about making this unfortunate mistake without others adding to his upset. Yes I feel really sorry for the poor little dog, the farmer and the chickens and the dog's owners .......but it was a mistake.......and we all make them....don't we?? It's not like he/she is blaming anyone else is it?

foreign_correspondent

mrcol1000 wrote: »

I am not so sure that the farmer is within his rights to harm the dog. It is an offence to cause suffering to a dog. Had he shot it dead then he would have been within his rights because he would not have cause it any suffering just death.

Although technically that is the case, I think that it would be seen as reasonable for the farmer to take one swing at the dog with a stick or whatever - if he had gone on to batter it that would be another story.

If he didnt have a gun to hand, or does not own one, I think he would be within his rights to defend his lifestock, on his land, in a reasonable way.

Shooting a dog can certainly cause suffering unles you are close enough to get it in the right place first time - which is unlikely with a terrier chasing something. I would just be very glad he used a stick, not a gun, and not split hairs about it.

I am glad to hear the dog is up and about, and even if he does not regain the sight in one eye I am sure he will be up to his old tricks again in no time!

OP, these things do happen, even the best of us make mistakes and misjudgements, and hindsight is a marvelous thing! Terriers can be hard work even for experienced owners. Hopefully, lots of people will have learnt something from reading this story though!

samanimals

Sorry you cant blame agent orange for every thing that happened there were looking after there friends dogs while the owners where away i think that was really nice of them .

I could never go away and leave any of my pets.

You cant blame the dog as its not its fault this could have happened to any one letting there dog run free and dogs should run free .

Hope he gets better soon and maybe tell the owner not to go away and leave the poor dog behind
Hope all the poor chickens were ok too.