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

aliasojo

Personally I'd have been on the phone there and then. His reaction was completely OTT and he needs a word had with him imo.

Although you had a hard time with him, my concern would be how he dealt with other members of society who might be more sterotyped...loud (but harmless) youths for example.


Edit: Although I agree with the comments about the dogs should be on leads around livestock, this man's behaviour was unnecessary and bullyish. He could easily have had a word and asked that the dogs be leashed in a quieter less threatening manner.

Threebabes

dear me, poor you.

report him!!

JoE

In future I'd suggest keeping your dogs on a lead when animals are about. NOT because I think they are going to attack, or that there is any truth in what the farmer said (he was clearly in the wrong), but because he would have the right to shoot if they did threaten his livestock and - here's the key - it would be very difficult for you to prove otherwise should the worst happen.

Also, it's not just about what your dogs would do, animals are unpredictable and a hefty kick from cow or horse could easily kill a dog. I've seen it happen.

dizzybuff

Again Master of nothing is .. errrm master of nothing ...

ceridwen

Ummmm......<cough> can I ask what type of dogs you have please?

- as in peoples perceptions of the level of risk that dogs constitute does depend a lot on what breed they are - due to the very different temperaments different breeds have.

As in I'm wondering if they are a breed that is well-known as being friendly/outright "cowards"/etc - or a breed that is equally well-known as being aggressive to people/chase animals/etc??

Also - I'm a bit puzzled as to how dogs can be "off lead" AND "under close control". Were they under close control and on the lead? OR were they off lead. I'm a bit confused as to whether they were or werent on their leads.

RedBern

I'd go along with what others have said and report him. Our dog walking area has cattle in it from October - December - and when we asked at the council offices about safety (bearing in mind National Farmers Union says dogs shouldn't be walked where there are cattle with calfs - see recent deaths by cattle protecting young) - and we were told that the cattle on our meadow aren't suckling so are safe!! When my friend saw the farmer unloading, she shouted to him that it was a dog walking area, and she was reluctant to put her dog on the lead, he replied, if the dog chases the cows, fine - they'll soon either stop chasing or the cows will kick them!

Oldernotwiser

lynzpower wrote: »

What if the dogs HAD have scared the cattle? Would you have sactually been shot?

Farmers do have the right to shoot dogs that are worrying livestock. No dogs should be off the lead when there are farm animals around.

WolfSong2000

I understand this can't have been pleasant for you, and yes the farmer was out of order threatening you, but in all fairness, your dog should have been on a lead, so technically, yes, the farmer could have shot your dog if he thought it was chasing his livestock (and to be fair if all you see is cattle running followed by a woman walking her dog off-leash then yeah, I can see why he would be concerned).

I'm in no way condoning his behavior, but technically a lot of what he said was correct.

ceridwen

Well - I think none of us can "form any opinion" unless and until we have the full facts.

It is commonsense to have dogs on leads (no matter how peaceful they are) if there is any livestock around - both from the dogs' viewpoint and the viewpoint of the livestock.

Equally it is commonsense to recognise if one has a breed of dog that is perceived as possibly troublesome by others - even if one's own particular dog is a "total sweetie and wouldnt harm a fly" - as other people have no way of knowing that is the case just by looking at them.

Certainly - I would go to pat a cocker spaniel or Golden Retriever for instance and "pass the time of day" with the owner - but steer very clear of an alsation (just in case) and wonder why someone had a rottweiler and steer VERY clear indeed of it.

Having said that - I simply dont understand why anyone would even TRY and walk a dog without a lead through a field anywhere near livestock. If the dogs were indeed walked through an obvious field with livestock in and not on a lead (whatever breed they are) - then I would be well aware that the farmer might just have used his mobile phone to take a photo of my dogs OFF their lead to prove why there had been an altercation in the first place (as I would certainly have done so myself if I were the farmer and this was the case).

I have to say I have the feeling the dogs WERE off their leads - as OP states they were - in which case my advice is to totally forget about the whole incident and make VERY sure in future that the dogs ARE on their leads if anywhere near livestock.

Oldernotwiser

I have a feeling that this discussion divides between those who live (or have lived) in the country and those that think the country's main function is as a place to walk their dogs.