farmer threatened to shoot my dog

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?

yea but he'll shoot first and argue later that there was the possibility that there may have been sheep there thatyou didn't see

lost a dalmation that way

Originally Posted by blue curvy jester

yea but he'll shoot first and argue later that there was the possibility that there may have been sheep there thatyou didn't see

lost a dalmation that way

Sorry to hear that mate, not nice. Got to admit think i may have wolloped him one if he said that to me. Providing that there wasnt any livestock in the field.

[maviczap]

Make a complaint to the Police, as there were no livestock in the field he has no right to threaten you like this.

When it comes to renewing his shotgun licence they might be a bit more pedantic

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Make a complaint to the Police, as there were no livestock in the field he has no right to threaten you like this.

When it comes to renewing his shotgun licence they might be a bit more pedantic

+1

Sounds like a ****ing lunatic to me...

[timwilky]

As somebody that has shot a number of dogs I can tell you.

He is well within his rights if your dog is in his opinion a threat to his livestock. Keep your dog on a lead, a public footpath is not a right to roam, stick to the path.

Whilst you are on his land, he has a right to protect his livestock. Seeing a dog running in an empty field is enough to make him question what control you have over your dog. Who is to say that in its excitement it may or may not run into an adjacent field that does contain livestock and then sorry but bang.

His advice is good. Don't put your dog at risk

[ophic]

Teach your dog the "kill" command and use it. There's no way the farmer could get his gun cos the dog can run faster

[ophic]

Originally Posted by timwilky

Whilst you are on his land, he has a right to protect his livestock.

But that right doesn't include shooting a dog that is causing no problems. The law doesn't allow pro-active defence in this way.

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by ophic

But that right doesn't include shooting a dog that is causing no problems. The law doesn't allow pro-active defence in this way.

I agree, He should have said, keep your dog on a lead whilst on my land, otherwise I may be forced to shoot it.


I have previously posted about the sort of problems we experienced as a result of having a public footpath running along our drive and fields, dogs were an occasional nuisance. Most time people respected the signs to stick to the path and keep dogs on a lead.

I have only had one real problem where somebody knocked on the door and asked if we had seen his dog,

Yes it is in the shed,

Well can I have it

Not until you pay for the geese it has killed

Eventually he coughed up and I gave him his dog back in a sack


He called the police. We on the other hand had contacted the local bobby as soon as I had shot it, in case somebody contacted them to report a lost dog. Lots of threats then about what would happen to me if he ever saw me again.

The farmer was out of order threatening to shoot your dog. As mentioned, a farmer can only shoot a dog that is worrying animals. As the landowner, he is within his rights to specify that all dogs on his land must be on a lead. I would advise reporting it to the police and being very insistent that they pay him a visit. Tell them that you also feeled threatened yourself.