Terrified by shouting, angry farmer .. what to do next?

Pepzofio

BilberryCharlotte wrote: »

I used to walk with my dogs a lot, quite often along public footpaths or private ground. It is usually considered good manners that if you are not on your own ground, you keep your dogs on a lead, in fact in some places there are signs to that effect.

So, with that logic, you would only ever walk your dogs off the lead in your own garden? Bad manners are not an excuse for threatening to shoot someone either.

BilberryCharlotte wrote: »

Perhaps they are not only corncerned with their subsidies, but genuinlely care about the welfare of the animals in their care, although obviously not enough to be vegan/vegetarian.

Eh????? I would hope a farmer did care about the welfare of his animals! And I resent the implication that meat eaters somehow 'don't care' about animal welfare.

BilberryCharlotte wrote: »

I am sorry you feel this way, I have always found country folk to be most friendly, if anyone feels otherwise why would they be walking on their own in the first place?

I don't think gwhizz made any sweeping generalisations about country folk! As with any collection of people, some are going to be pleasant, others not so. Gwhizz only said he did not see why the farmer should get away with it just because he had been angry - anger is not an excuse for intimidating someone.

And why should someone be prevented from walking somewhere because of the anti-social behaviour of others? This point has been made in respect of people who are scared of dogs, why not people who are scared of physical and verbal intimidation?

Mojisola

paddy's mum - I'm sorry that you had such a frightening experience and you probably need to take some action for your own relief and for anyone else walking that path. If a letter to him or a word with the local police stops someone else having the same experience, it will be worth it.

I can see why the farmer may have reacted as he did - your dogs might have been the "last straw" for him, after coping with the aftermath of other incidents - but he over-reacted, frightened you and put himself in danger. Many otherwise well-behaved dogs will defend their owners when faced with such a threat and sensing their owners' distress.

On the other hand, he may be a angry curmudgeon who behaves like this towards everyone who uses that footpath and needs to be told it isn't acceptable!

Oldernotwiser

gwhizz75 wrote: »

No, she didn't say that at all. She said that if the farmer had really perceived her dogs to be dangerous and out of control, then why wasn't he worried about them attacking him.

If you read what she wrote and I quoted, she said " he ran a genuine risk of being bitten" if the dogs thought that he was attacking her. Read it again.

Oldernotwiser

mumslave wrote: »

I was brought up beside a farm. As it happens, one day our second lab ran off on my dad (out of character) and two days later we still hadnt found her. Till the farmer called to tell us he had caught her worrying a sheep, and tried to shoot her but missed. We ended up with the choice of paying for a very expensive sheep or having our dog put down should she come home. I spent days praying she wouldnt come back...because the family simply didnt have the money to pay for the sheep, plus because she had done it once, there would have been a high chance she would do it again. She did come home sadly and was put to sleep that same day only 11 years old. She lived by that farm for ten years without ever showing any interest in chasing or hurting the farm animals.

As a result, as an adult, I would know better than to have my dogs off a lead around farm and farming land.. Not only does it protect you (cows especially get irate at the sight of dogs and WILL chase anyone or anything near it should it feel threatened enough) and your dog, it avoids farm animals getting distressed. It also should have no bearing how firm a control you have on a dog, a dog is just that, a dog and even the most well trained dog can act out of form. Just because you CAN do something, ie walk dogs around farmland with no lead, doesnt mean you should. Use your sense.

The farmer however should not have been so irate with you, i do agree, and I am sorry he frightened you....but for all we know he could have this happening lots, people walking animals without leads and his animals being upset. It doesnt excuse his behaviour though.

Next time it might just be better to keep your dogs on a lead, for everyones sake.

I completely agree with this. We had to rehome a sheepworrying boxer after we moved to very sheepy south Shropshire, Fortunately there aren't many sheep in Wolverhampton!

Oldernotwiser

Tom1234 wrote: »

I can see you don't have me on ignore, as you're responding to my posts.

I'm sure you'll notice the one at the top of the page where I pointed out how you'd selectively quoted to try and twist the OPs words into suggesting that.

The OP was talking about a hypothetical situation whereby if the farmer HAD been worried about that, he wouldn't have approached her so aggressively.

And you'll see from my post above that this wasn't what the OP actually wrote!

Tom1234

I have also come to realise that if the farmer truly believed that my dogs were unsafe and/or out of control, what on earth possessed him to approach me as he did. He came on in an arm-swinging, loud and aggressive manner, on a narrow footpath, with my dogs at my heels, where he ran a genuine risk of being bitten should my dogs decide that his aggression was very much their business?

Was it really? Doesn't look like it to me.

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Ok lets put it this way - maybe the farmer went home very pent up and angry but after he calmed down realised he had seriously scared someone and feels very sorry about the situ...now he (i assume) has no idea where the OP lives so how can he appologise if he wants to? The OP can form some contact as she is aware where the farm is.

How i see it is there is always two people with very different views on the situation - i don't for one second think the OP is a bad person or out to cause a row, she simply is upset by the matter and she has a darn good right to be, she has later realised what the farmer may have felt and is willing to persue some neutral contact to diffuse the matter.

I'm sorry but i can't see why that is wrong - yes you can go to the police by all means if you feel that is what you wish to do, just personally i would have some written contact just to see if the farmer is appologetic or not, he maybe a complete ar*e but at the same time he might just be someone who made a mistake and is after all very sorry.

I think getting the police involved NOW, rather than before might just add salt to the wound...(don't get me wrong if it were just after the situation or that evening then call them by all means, i think i even said that before) but after a police warning even though he may not say anything or do anything the OP may feel uncomfortable taking the same route again which would be quite a sad situation as it seemed like a lovely place to walk.

From personal experience i had a bad situation some years ago with a neighbour but after talking to her (after i calmed down) i realised we both had a reason to be so furious. Now i was not a 'best friend' of the girl afterwards but was able to say hello and sometimes have a friendly chat in passing. If i hadn't (or if i had got the police involved - there was argument that i could have) the relationship would have probably been a hostile one which would have made us all feel uncomfortable. So there is a reason behind my madness

mumslave

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I completely agree with this. We had to rehome a sheepworrying boxer after we moved to very sheepy south Shropshire, Fortunately there aren't many sheep in Wolverhampton!

I believe rehoming was considered, but as we live in the highlands, it was decided she was unlikely to find a home away from sheep up here. I am not sure as its not really talked about, my dad and mum had a big falling out over the decision, but I think my dad also decided it was kinder to have her put to sleep than take her away from the only home she had ever known and her mother (our older lab). Whatever the reasons were, I know as a family of five children and one working adult, there was no way they could afford to appease the farmer, whom was actually a friend, but it goes to show how important each and every animal is to a farmer.

BilberryCharlotte

Pepzofio wrote: »

So, with that logic, you would only ever walk your dogs off the lead in your own garden? Bad manners are not an excuse for threatening to shoot someone either.



Eh????? I would hope a farmer did care about the welfare of his animals! And I resent the implication that meat eaters somehow 'don't care' about animal welfare.



I don't think gwhizz made any sweeping generalisations about country folk! As with any collection of people, some are going to be pleasant, others not so. Gwhizz only said he did not see why the farmer should get away with it just because he had been angry - anger is not an excuse for intimidating someone.

And why should someone be prevented from walking somewhere because of the anti-social behaviour of others? This point has been made in respect of people who are scared of dogs, why not people who are scared of physical and verbal intimidation?

You have it one there, it is not only bad manners, but some people are foolish/arrogant in my opinion. Even the best trained dog can be spooked on occasion, therefore if you haven`t got your dog on a lead you have no absolute control over it.

I am sorry to tell you that not all farmers are good to their livestock, or care to see that they have food water and shelter if needed. Hopefully they are very much in the minority. Do all meat eaters care about animal welfare? I think many do in their own way, but I doubt if all omnivores do.

Nor am I, I am sorry the farmer was angry and upset the original poster who seems to be a very caring person, but perhaps she might have been in even more distress if he had shot her dogs.

I don`t think people should prevented from walking on public footpaths, but that privelege surely brings responsibilities with it such as keeping your dog on a lead, then in this particular case there may not have been any need for verbal intimidation.
Even so, I do feel very sorry for this ladies distress.

You seem in bit of a snit by the way, are you one of these posters who thinks that only their opinion is valid? Are you residing in town or country?

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

I think Mojisola sums it up perfectly! If i could only do so few words:p....i have a habit of rambling on in order to explain something quite simple!:o

I am hoping the OP has calmed down from the initial scary incident, it did sound like it but i think we are all just making matters worse by carrying it on (me too, sorry, lol, just a big fan of trying to make things better when it does't always work )

I'm sure we have all given the OP enough advice and i'm sure she'll make the best decision based on how she feels now Have you spoken to your hubbie about it, usually the ones closest can give the best advice in my experience as they know you best?

I wish you the very best of luck in whatever action you take, or even if you decide to do nothing - after all this i'm sure you know what you feel is best. x x x

Anyway i will try my best to stay out of it now...:D...note i said try, lol!