Shooting dogs worrying sheep

[chimp 299]

i have a sign up saying if dogs are found worrying sheep they 'may' be shot. in my eyes it is just another warning for them

[sako 23]

You can shoot dogs worrying livestock and you don't need a sign. People seem to think having signs up cover anything but they don't in most cases. If there is no legal requirement too then you don't need to. Where would you stop? Putting the signs in every field? Along every hedgerow? If you think about it, the dogs are the problem and I doubt many will read your signs and think twice about what they are doing and the owners that are in a position to read the signs wont be able to stop the dog as it will be out of control

 

The main thing is that you have to be clear about what would constitute worrying livestock.

 

If you have a dog running around the field even with lambs in it you'd be hard pushed to prove it was worrying livestock. If the owner of the dog is about then you will be in a position where the owner will be insistent that it wasn't and you will say it was. Not an easy place to be. And one which may or may not work in your favour.

 

Unfortunately IMO you would need an injured or dead animal, caused by that dog, to be air tight that it was a danger to your livestock.

 

++EDIT++

 

And I think that you would have to show you had tried other things first...

 

I think you are wrong there mate you don't actually need a dead or injured sheep. If the dog is worrying ie: chasing sheep you are within your rights to shoot it. edit just re-read your post you said to be air tight, sorry fella.

Edited April 1, 2011 by sako

[Catcher 1 639]

I would have no problem with a farmer shooting my dog.If it attacked his stock.At the end off the day.Its down to me to make sure its stock broken before its on the field.

[The_Oakster 2]

Not to worry However:

 

You'd think you'd be alright but think of the reality.

 

You have just shot someone's dog because it was chasing your livestock about but there are no injuries or dead animals. You have now damaged their property by killing the dog. The owner comes along and reports you to the police saying that his dog would never hurt anyone and had slipped the lead and had got into a field. You have to now justify YOUR actions proving that they were justified, proportionate and necessary. If you have nothing to back up your side of the story other than your opinion you MAY find yourself answering some awkward questions.

 

You may be hard pressed to convince the police and ultimately the CPS that you acted lawfully if you have no evidence that the dog was a danger to your animals. There is no bad character of the dog as such cos it's now dead. You have no injured or dead animals. Its your word against the owner who can easily paint a perfect picture of the dog prior to the incident.

 

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it or that you would get in trouble but you wouldn't be in an enviable position.

 

Its possible to change the scales in your favour, more witnesses, preferably independent or injured or dead livestock for example but you can see what I'm getting at.

[sako 23]

Not to worry However:

 

You'd think you'd be alright but think of the reality.

 

You have just shot someone's dog because it was chasing your livestock about but there are no injuries or dead animals. You have now damaged their property by killing the dog. The owner comes along and reports you to the police saying that his dog would never hurt anyone and had slipped the lead and had got into a field. You have to now justify YOUR actions proving that they were justified, proportionate and necessary. If you have nothing to back up your side of the story other than your opinion you MAY find yourself answering some awkward questions.

 

You may be hard pressed to convince the police and ultimately the CPS that you acted lawfully if you have no evidence that the dog was a danger to your animals. There is no bad character of the dog as such cos it's now dead. You have no injured or dead animals. Its your word against the owner who can easily paint a perfect picture of the dog prior to the incident.

 

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it or that you would get in trouble but you wouldn't be in an enviable position.

 

Its possible to change the scales in your favour, more witnesses, preferably independent or injured or dead livestock for example but you can see what I'm getting at.

 

Yes totally, but I can't see anyone waiting for the dog to damage the sheep before shooting it if that's what it was going to do. If it was just off the lead and 'roaming' then catch it would be the answer and dump it in the police station.

[bagzi 0]

30 years ago I was a Gamekeeper and shot a number of Dogs running loose in the Woods "legally" I don't know what the Law is today! Can Keepers still shoot Dogs on the Loose?

 

 

[The_Oakster 2]

@sako - that's one of the options I guess you'd have to show you'd considered prior to filling lassie full of shot

 

@bagzi - you can't shoot dogs on the loose, just because they are loose, but you can if they are worrying livestock. But therein lies the issue. At what point does a loose dog become a worrier of livestock if there is no evidence when the owner reports you to the police?

[gav243 1]

Yes I do, and for the protection on humans.... "(d) the shooting of animals for the protection of other animals or humans" That's the wording on my cert.

 

thats on my ticket to

[zx10mike 137]

i was sad to read this article.i feel about my dog the way most people feel about thier children,god knows my response if someone shot my dog.i cannot understand why these irrisponsible owners let them run free.i suppose if the dog is a repeat offender there is nothing you guys can do.but myself i would be very wary before pulling the trigger ,what if this is a loved pet and its the first time it has got out.then again we are all different and if you have had problems for a while then so be it.one thing is for sure if it had to be done the police would be kept informed with proof of a previous problem and then with it being a sore subject i would probably do it quietly.but i appreciate i live in a different enviroment were dog trouble never is that big a problem.realy not trying to sound like an anti,just disapointed in idiots bieng allowed to own dogs.

[iworkwhippets 12,247]

I would have no problem with a farmer shooting my dog.If it attacked his stock.At the end off the day.Its down to me to make sure its stock broken before its on the field.

 

Shown local farmer footage on my camera of my dogs amongst livestock cos i wanted permission to work his land. permission granted, livestock training is essential to anyone owning a dog

[sako 23]

Mike I think you've hit the nail on the head! 'It's the idiots that own the dogs'. That's half the trouble they don't look after or make sure the dogs are secure they just open the door and kick them out half the time and just don't know what they're up to.

 

IWW If everyone was like yourself there would be a lot more permission's granted on sheep farms!

[chimp 299]

mike i would rather shoot at a zx10 then i would a dog (gixer lad thru and thru me lol)

 

hopefully i wont have too shoot a dog as its only a village and the news would spread fast about the bad guy with the gun

[zx10mike 137]

mike i would rather shoot at a zx10 then i would a dog (gixer lad thru and thru me lol)

 

hopefully i wont have too shoot a dog as its only a village and the news would spread fast about the bad guy with the gun

 

 

well we all have to start someware,i started on a gixer when i was learning,keep at it you will get there.

[littlefish 549]

@sako - that's one of the options I guess you'd have to show you'd considered prior to filling lassie full of shot

 

@bagzi - you can't shoot dogs on the loose, just because they are loose, but you can if they are worrying livestock. But therein lies the issue. At what point does a loose dog become a worrier of livestock if there is no evidence when the owner reports you to the police?

 

 

QUOTE FROM MY LOCAL COUNCIL BOOKLET ON DOGS:

 

FARMERS' RIGHTS

 

The law presently states that if a dog is found unaccompanied in field with livestock, and without the landowners consent, farmers are legally protected in shooting the dog on the spot. Likewise, if all reasonable attempts to restrain the dog has been taken the farmer is equally justified in shooting the dog.

 

edited to add ( for those guilty but not shot on the spot):

 

In rare cases a farmer may file a criminal prosecution: if the dog is proven guilty beyond doubt, a destruction order will be passed on the dog. The owner, meanhile, can be made to pay up to £5,000 compensation for each offence, as well as a fine of 200 and additional court costs.

 

 

I think this means the farmer is in a VERY strong legal position. SHAME on pricks who can't or won't control their dogs!!!!

Edited April 2, 2011 by littlefish

[The_Oakster 2]

I think this means the farmer is in a VERY strong legal position. SHAME on pricks who can't or won't control their dogs!!!!

 

The leaflet is sort of right, the Farmer is legally ALLOWED to shoot the dog but I would doubt that shooting a dog simply because it is in a field will mean that the Farmer is in the right, period. Just because your council has produced a leaflet doesn't mean that its correct

 

Without getting into a legal debate about what the law says in black and white and what would happen in reality, it's fair to say, as I have already mentioned, that a dog can be shot if found worrying livestock but don't expect to shoot a dog, in whatever circumstance and assume that your going to have the full protection of the law behind you.

 

There may be legislation that says you can do it, but there is legislation saying that you can't damage someone else's property as well and these laws are governed by evidence, justification, proportionality and necessity. If you think that if a dog walks into your field full of lambs and you shoot it that the police will just accept it and move on then you are greatly mistaken.