The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: lizzypeg on December 07, 2012, 08:48:12 pm
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as above.our 3 sheep were grazing the bit where foothpath runs across my fields today whilst friend was there..they ran up to a walker , didnt do anything, they just tame and like a scratch...he then complained to my friend and said'' keep your sheep under control''....
its a footpath thru grazing fields...can i get in trouble if he complains to council etc..
funny thing was apparently he then followed the path thru the ponies field and they all run up to him too....and the next door neighbours field he then had to go thru has hundreds of sheep in it...so he will prob complain.......
theres signs up saying keep dogs onleads,livestock loose in fields etc...
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Ummm no!!! Ridiculous cretin !! The only issue could be the horses mugging walkers and then squabbling if people feed them treats and starting to kick out which could hurt someone (even if its walkers feeding titbits that caused the issue) . Sheep - no! Does he think they will smother him with a pullover from their wool or burst his eardrums by bleating? Mad.
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the ponies are fairly good and path runs across bottom of field so mostly they stay up top and don't venture down to see walkers..i am going to fence the path in along bottom of horses field when i can afford to as i dont want them feeding the ponies if they decide to anyway....the sheep go into the fenced off 12 foot wide area that the path runs thru before you get into the ponies field, to keep the grass tidy in there...thats main reason we got 3 sheep....i think he need to walk in towns only if he hates animals...
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I love that 'keep your sheep under control!' ;D What an idiot!
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I feel for him, sheep can be absolutely terrifying. I've heard tales of whole council estates that are being terrorised by gangs of vicious sheep. They're baaaaaad news, I'm telling you.
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what a muppet, i swear half of all small holders problems are sorted with either a shotgun or a piece of 2x2.
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I would sound a note of caution here - sheep can and do push over adults and children if they are used to being hand/bucket fed and "demand" their treats. Especially at this time of year when they are fed regularly....
And having seen one of your photos in the previous post - of one of the sheep reaching up on his/her hindlegs to get some food - I can imagine that someone not used to then can be a bit scared. Not saying that s/he may have a case, just warning you that a determined lawyer could just cause you some trouble!
However a note on the entrance to warn of overfriendly sheeep may be all that's needed...
IMO footpaths through livestock fields are always a source of bother for the owner....
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Hi Lizzypeg, following up on what Anke says you should be OK legally but it is not entirely clear cut.
The Animals Act 1971 makes you liable for injury or damage caused by your animals where three conditions are met:
1.The damage is of a type which the animal would be likely to do if it was unrestrained;
2.The damage was due to characteristics which were not normally found in that type of animal, or which were found in that type of animal only at specific times and in specific circumstances;
3.The special characteristics were known to the owner.
So if you kept a ram that was known to be dangerous at tupping time in the field you would be liable. It seems unlikely, however, given the examples given on some of the local authority sites, that keeping a few ewes that are just overfriendly at feeding time would count.
You might be guilty of an offence, however, it it were deemed that the sheep cause unreasonable interference with the use of a right of way. This would constitute a nuisance under common law. In the first instance the local authorities would serve an abatement notice on you and failure to comply with the notice results in an offence being committed and you could then be fined.
Hope this helps!
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i've got a complaint...... i almost choked on my breakfast laughing so much.... :roflanim: :roflanim: DITW has the right idea
Don't worry Lizzypeg, you won't be doing time for this one.... :relief:
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Put up some electric fencing to keep the idiot away from your sheep.
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Honestly, can you imagine what a fool he would look like if he ever tried to make a proper complaint :roflanim: If it happens (it won't) let us know and we'll all come, wearing woolly jumpers, and point at him and laugh.
For goodness sake! An aggressive tup, that ran at people on purpose, might be one thing but 3 curious ewes! :roflanim: Poor baby, how terrifying ::)
I know this next bit is not the law, but it ought to be. These people are not using the footpaths for the reasons for which they were made, ie for villagers to get about to work, chapel etc. They therefore don't have to use specific footpaths, they could perfectly easily walk elsewhere if there are scary sheep in a field ::)
Seriously Lizzie, he'd have to have a lot of spare money and time to even think about pursuing such a pointless case. It's therefore highly unlikely to happen. But if he's rude or a nuisance, talk to the NFU for advice.
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Honestly, can you imagine what a fool he would look like if he ever tried to make a proper complaint :roflanim: If it happens (it won't) let us know and we'll all come, wearing woolly jumpers, and point at him and laugh.
Love it! :thumbsup: :roflanim:
On a more serious note, there has to be something tangible to complain about - for instance, if an over-enthusiastic ewe knocked him, or someone with him, over and they sustained an injury. In that situation, I regret to say I think he would have a case - but I do love the public humiliation idea should it happen! :roflanim:
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OMG :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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You need a warning sign, always a bl**dy warning sign
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I've walked through fields where sheep have been curious and i can sY, I have NEVER thought that it shouldn't happen and I could complain!
Helen
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No, Helen. That's because you're a sensible human being! There are a lot of litigious idiots out there. unfortunately.
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But we won't scare Lizzy by suggesting that it's likely that he'll complain - for all the reasons already given, that he'd need time, money and the desire to look very silly ::)
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they didn't even run up to him as don't know him.they actually scattered and ran away from him in anarea about 20 foot wide as footpath runs past our buildings, so not even a narrow area...other walkers keep stopping to say how nice they are and how good it is to see animals back on the land
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Good, nice to hear there are some sane folk out there too :thumbsup:
He probably just got out of bed the wrong side that morning ::)
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He is about as crazy as someone who consulted me in my former occupation because their neighbour had threatened to call the police because a horse was eating their hedge. The effort of trying to keep a straight face while explaining horses were not criminally liable for their actions was almost too much and dare I say I was more interested in ensuring that the hedge wasn't privet.
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The effort of trying to keep a straight face while explaining horses were not criminally liable for their actions was almost too much
:D
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D'you think the sign should also warn of the presence of Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggywinkle?
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My friend had a visit from the Police because her three pet hens had gone and stood on a neighbours lawn :) She was warned to keep them under control apparantly.
Some walkers seem to think no livestock should be in a field. The lady I work for has a path over her fields, and people complain constantly if she has her ponies in there, as they have to walk their dogs through mud!! She was resting the field, and a dog walker came and thanked her for keeping her animals off the field so that he could walk his dog there. She was so gobsmacked she could not think of anything to say. Perhaps it should have been thank you?!!
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We have a GFD tup that you would want to steer clear of all year round, would have you on your back without a second thought. Even when you are aware of him you have to be very careful.
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Let him complain and waste his time and money, Id just be keeping an eye out for him next time so I could give him a good hose piping down, failing that yep 2x2
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We have a footpath through one of our fields and some very friendly sheep and goats, but we decided to fence off the footpath so that the livestock are separate from them and any uncontrolled dogs. If they loose their hat or buttons though to the goats, from stopping to pet them, then I won't be help responsible!
One point, joking aside - you have to think carefully about signs you put up (sadly). For our pigs, we have a sign that says 'Pigs have teeth - please take care'. It doens't say 'Don't put your hands through the fence as there may be other ways of reaching the pigs we haven't thought of in advance (like them tunnelling their way out!) which would then not be covered.
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I thought the point of a right of way through a field was to give the walker a right of way not a right to complain about what's on the land his beak shouldn't be concerned with anything apart from getting from one side to the other !!
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We've had tourist come to the farm and say we should stop our sheep fouling on the footpath ;)
Ya just pick it up rub it in your hands and say 'nothing wrong with this s**t'
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I know its all fun and games but I had a walker who's jack russels (on extendable leads) didn't like my pet sheep/freindly sheep and attacked my pet lamb luckily I was there and no major damage but a wee sign at either end of the field my be enough, 'Freindly sheep may approach you!' Should ease some of the morons worries. It at least shows the sheeps intent. :thumbsup:Or the Killer sheep sign that's brilliant it should scare off the kind of people you don't want on you foot path! :)