Originally Posted by barnyc
Very good!
Very good!
Pete Shakespeare - U/A
Going downhill fast
Mmm... some "interesting" debate there but still none the wiser. When I'm running along this path, the dog will be at my heel so unlikely to stray outside the designated confines of the footpath. Walking is a different matter of course so I guess technically he could be trespassing when he's off the lead.
I doubt it really matters - just curious if you could enforce such a thing on a public footpath. I would have thought if it was a permissive path or on access land then the landowner could stipulate what they like within reason. I know areas of Northumbria are completely dog free for example.
Pete Shakespeare - U/A
Going downhill fast
As it's private land I think the only thing the farmer could do is sue for trespass (assuming it's an empty field- if livestock are present and being worried, well, that's a different matter!). So to sue for trespass, he's got to show some some sort of financial loss for compensation or seek an injunction and that's assuming your dog strays from the footpath. Who is really going to bother with the expense of doing all that? Hence, I guess he just puts the sign up and hopes most people do as it asks. Another alternative, I suppose if possible, is that the farmer contacts the local authority and sees if he can have a dog control order placed on that public right of way. Local Authority Land is usually under a dog control order these days and so having a dog on a lead can be enforced on roadsides and parks etc. Would anyone know why this couldn't be extended to public footpaths on private land? It would be a bit of a pain if every footpath did get a dog control order on it.
As someone trying to ensure my sheep and lambs don't die/suffer serious harm from:
Entropion, scours, staggers, swayback, E-coli, clostirdial diseases, Pasturella, scab, enzootic abortion, hypoglaecemia, hypocalceamia, twin lamb disease, blue tongue, Q fever, coccidiosis, tapeworm, lungworm, liver fluke, foot rot, scald and watery mouth (to name but a few)in the day to day running of things I will always be nervous when I see an unknown dog off the lead on the footpath through the farm.
There are very, very few people who would knowingly let an aggressive dog get amongst livestock but any dog, and I include my own, could have a funny 5 minutes if the mood takes them. Imagine you had a pet lamb in your back garden and someone came walking through with a dog off the lead. You know your dog but others don't so please bear this in mind particularly at this time of year and save anyone who's lambing any more stress!
The bigger threat to sheep, is abattoirs
But seriously, you do have my sympathy Ed D.
PS Yes, my dog is a danger to lambs. He eats, lamb and rice dog food.
Interesting reversal of the argument in Romania. The shephards are protesting about the limit on the number of dogs they can have.
Apparently "over zelus" shephard dogs are attacking and killing dogs belonging to hunters!
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...t-sheepdog-law
This Guardian article (link below) tells a curious story about a dog and a seal. Some extracts:-
"I try to take my dog Sully, a staffordshire bull terrier, for a good, long walk most days. Sully’s a rescue dog, and a bit bonkers. He would never hurt anyone...."
[Uh oh - sounds familiar]
"... to my horror, Sully bit the seal near one of its flippers..."
I'm not sure that the article's headline
(naming the seal as the attacker) is quite accurate!
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...-seal-cornwall
Reading the comments on an article like that is the most fun.
"Ahhhh how sweet. My dog loves licking people"
Its the 99% of dog owners that give the rest a bad name.
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