Stray dogs

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 9:27 am

So just what does one do when you go to the barn find your animals at the top of the field and 2 stray, collarless dogs trot out as if they own the place. As I had my 2 border collies with me (who are 'hail fellow, well met' with everyone and other dogs) I had to do a bit of quick order giving to stop them being badly bitten as the strays, some sort of bull terrier type, turned on their friendly advances teeth bared. While my dogs were restrained the strays trotted off. I don't know that Dexters would be badly disadvantaged by dogs, but we have alpacas and a field full of newly put out mums and babes of the things we promised never to mention again on this site. Somehow the farm just doesn't feel that safe at present. Yes I am trying to find out where they come from, but I've seen them before a few weeks ago so whoever owns them obviously isn't that interested in keeping them in. They are not regular enough visitors to get someone in with a gun. I don't fancy trying to capture them either to be honest.

debra wiltshire · Post by **debra wiltshire** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 10:45 am

previous tenants of our smallholding had a problem with four dogs who worried to death 20 of his sheep...he shot three of them and returned the bodies to the local travellers who he knew owned them and were camped on the boundaries but they denied all knowledge.
Local police said there was nothing else he could do...

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:28 pm

Thankfully, after a bit of detective work, I found out who these belong to. They came over smartish and removed them so things have returned to what passes for normal here, without the use of a gun, but I quite understand that in other circumstances that would be the best solution.

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:32 am

Stray dogs are always a nuisance.
I had a problem a few years ago, the same 2 dogs would be on my farm most days, hunting along the hedges and brook, I eventually found out who they belonged to, so when the dogs were here I rang the owners. They assured me that they could see their dogs from where they were standing, they were at home, exceptional eyesight over a mile and through a hill! I was not best pleased and wondered what to do next.
The next time they turned up I shut my own dogs in and went out to the field, it took alot of wheedling to persuade them to come to me, thankfully they weren't nasty and I shut them in one of the sheds. Rang the people again, same story they could see their dogs! It was difficult not to laugh when I described the 2 I had shut in and suddenly they couldn't see theirs after all and came over and picked them up.
No they didn't apologise, in fact they were a bit shirty, however their dogs didn't visit again so a lesson well learnt.
Living in an area where more and more ex city people choose to live I find these people often think it is the thing to do in the country to let the dog have its freedom and find it almost impssible to see why it isn't ok!
Incidentally there was a test case recently where a dog roaming free caused a car accident. The court decided that as the dog has a mind of its own it couldn't be the owners fault. Also it isn't against the law not to shut your dog in at night either.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 9:43 am

That's an interesting bit of info, Saffy. Does that mean if we prove that Dexters (and all other livestock) have minds of their own we aren't responsible for their actions either? Some hopes!