Owenski

I’m still very worked up so I’m sorry if I offend anybody but I want to know what can be done. Surely he can’t get away with behaviour like that, and if indeed he cant I want to know what’s the next step of action I take. I want this ***** to have the book stuffed down his neck not just chucked at him.

While I was out walking my dog this morning, as with every morning I walk her in the land behind where I live. This is common land its very secluded and so very popular with dog walker. However it does back onto some farmland, one of these fields has a public footpath running straight through the middle, on occasion and if there is time I like to take the longer route round and across this field as it gives me a chance to really chuck the ball for my dog.
In recent days this field has been filled with cows so I’ve not been walking through (they’re bigger than me). However this morning they had moved on into the lower field so I headed down and across. First I have to go down some steps and then over a style. For both the obstacles I get Miya to sit and stay while I cross over and check that there are no animals or machinery before telling her to continue. This is because we are trying to teach her to get into the habit of waiting for when we take her into the country. So anyway after checking the coast is clear in the field I chucked her ball which she chased. Shortly after this I heard yelling and a farmer beckoning me over as I approached I heard him shouting “get that dog on a f***ing lead” responding with “ok, ok” and calling Miya back she still playing with her ball didn’t come at once but then began to make her way over. With the farmer still shouting his nuts off I made the grab for her collar only to hear him shout “If you don’t get that dog on a f***ing lead I’m going to f***ing shoot it!!” Now Im not the most imposing of figures but on hearing this I flipped, let go of the dog and stormed over to the c**t.

Me: “You cant threaten to shoot my dog!”
Farmer: “I f***ing can, you want me to go get my gun right now?”
Me: “You shoot my dog and I’ll kick your f***ing teeth in”
Farmer: “I’ve done it before so get that f***ing dog on a lead”
(while getting the dog back) Me: “I’m getting her on the lead, but Im not having anyone threatening me or my dog”

This was then followed by a 30min argument involving much getting in the face of an back handed comments from us both regarding rights to walk a dog and rights to shoot a dog. And how the manor which he took was well out of order. I had not shown any hostility I was complying completely (until his threat).

I’ve looked at the country code and the laws which my understanding is;
If a dog enters a field with SHEEP in then the dog must be on a lead, any dog found to be worrying[1] sheep can, by right be shot by the farmer as a last resort in order to protect his living. (to which I actually agree with in principle).
But in an open filed with no livestock, a dog can be allowed off the lead provided it is not a listed dangerous breed.

[1] Worrying sheep is a term used as harassment by other animals can cause sheep to die from stress. Therefore a dog must be chasing/attacking the sheep to be deemed a worry.
So basically he’s got no right to shoot the dog in that situation so his threat is an unlawful one and so I want to know if I’m entitled to press charges?