The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: lunanlife on March 08, 2010, 04:59:39 pm
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Our GSD dog used to be chased by 2 Jackadoodle dogs owned by a neighbour who lives in the middle of our farm. A few months ago after gaining some confidence our dog decided she had had enough and ended up rupturing one of the dog’s spleens. The police came out, after being called by our neighbour, to check the dog and were happy that she was not dangerous. As we head into the lighter months and we work that part of the farm longer I am concerned that this will happen again. Also these dogs are locked up for over 9 hours a day and then let loose to roam free after that.
The police advised us to put up a sign saying Farm Dogs Loose but will this really cover us if our dog injures one of these dogs again or worse?
We are also going to write a letter to the owner of the dogs (our neighbour is not the real owner) detailing that we cannot be held responsible for these dogs if they are allowed to roam free on the farm.
Any other suggestions on what we can do? There is no reasoning with this neighbour. We offered her the opportunity to take the dogs onto the farm early on when they were killing chickens to introduce them to the horses, chickens, pigs and dogs but she declined. Recently she agreed to stop allowing the dogs on the farm but did not stick to this agreement.
I have added a link below. You can see our dog in action when she adopted some goslings!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E70kQHvacNU
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Hello lunanlife.Please ask someone that knows the 2010 law regarding this Police say bit.I dropped foul of it a number of years ago.Yes it advises people and according to my solicitor you also accept liability.Why because you have told them you know about it.You must not put a sign up MUD ON THE ROAD you have accepted liability YOU KNOW.I thought I was being a good chap warning people and I was until it happened Beware ??? :farmer:
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I dont know what to suggest for the best, as your neighbour seems not to want to work with you on this.
Do you have a local dog warden, or rescue (eg RS/SSPCA) that could advise?
Also wanted to say... what a lovely, laid back dog! Our GSD wouldnt stand for any of that!
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Thanks Wizard I will check into the signage laws.
Little Blue, I contacted the SSPCA and they said that I should without doubt get a solicitor involved. It would probably be best if we went down this route to make sure where we stand. We are probably as laid back as our dog though and really don't like the idea of getting bogged down with solicitors and having the police involved. However our neighbour wouldn't think twice about doing this so maybe we should get in there 1st.
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What a lovely dog - our collies would have eaten them, I think.
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Write to the dog owner and tell him that you will take legal action unless he keeps his dogs under control and off your land...and that you will not be responsible for anything that happens if he/she fails to comply...put up notices warning that dogs found loose on your land/harrasing your livestock will be shot...then buy a gun!
Farmer, :farmer:
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It's amazing how caring a male dog can be, our 18mth old Black Lab male has been so good with the puppies and very caring.
There is a farmer here who shoots ANY dog that is on his land, it's well know so people keep a tight reign on thier dogs near his land, frightens me but then I keep away!!
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Hello all Sandy as I have said many times Its the dog that gets shot because it is to much trouble for inconsiderate owners to look after them properly.I have no doubt at all your loverly dog wouldn't dream of harming the pregnant ewes but do the ewes know that the dog only wants to play.Untold damage can be the result as I am sure you are well aware.I wont go into loose dogs in 3's and 4's sheep chasing and My dog wouldn't chase sheep when the policeman comes and you show him 3 dead ewes and two dead dogs.Thats my dog pointing. If he didn't, why is he dead shot with this one chasing my sheep.Some of the sods think its their devine right to allow their dogs to worry sheep.NOT in my world its not.Its the dog thats copped it not the rotten owner ??? :farmer:
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Our daughter is making us a sign that says, 'If dogs are found loose on this land they will be confiscated and re homed and the owners will be shot!'
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Excellent!!! I like that a lot! ;D
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would you like to borrow an Anschutz 1907 it usually pelts the bit exactly where you point it ;D :wave: :farmer:
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I like that too, working with difficult families in the past I felt some parents should be shot! ;)!(not really, I am a pacifist!)
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think the legal hitch with signs is the wording "beware" this is saying you have potentially dangerous dog, "caution dogs loose"think is now prefered sign
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Thanks for all the replies.
I agree it is the owners who need to take responsibility. When we take our dog off the farm, which is rarely ever, we always have her on a lead because we don't know what she could do outside her bounderies. I would like to get hold of our neighbours dogs and just spend an hour rehabilitating them. Then it wouldn't work of course because they would end up being locked up again for over 9 hours every day.
I am still waiting to get the letter back from our solicitor to make sure we havn't made ourselves liable in anyway. I think that is impossible nowadays though isn't it!!
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I d be speaking to police Luna or if you have any friends in the legal world (cheaper than paying fees) and see what they can find out, you shouldnt need to deal with this and neither should your animals, the owner sounds like a right ignoramous, must be ever so worrying for you, good luck ):)
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As G C says do be carefull with signs you are admitting fault.Or that you know about it.
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Just got the letter back from the solicitor and will now send it recorded delivery today. We have went for the nice approach but depending on the response may need to take a tougher stance. Our solicitor has advised that the next step would be to build a case against our neighbours dogs. We will wait and see!
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Our neighbour has now seen the letter and has lost the plot. She came to the farm shop and started shouting all sorts of abuse. Then she ripped down some signs on the farm before heading back indoors. I think we will have to take the next step and go a more official route! The OH wants to get some sort of restraining order. Can you get one for dogs as well as people?
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Yes it comes in little round things about a quarter of an inch across. :farmer:
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Our neighbour has now seen the letter and has lost the plot. She came to the farm shop and started shouting all sorts of abuse. Then she ripped down some signs on the farm before heading back indoors. I think we will have to take the next step and go a more official route! The OH wants to get some sort of restraining order. Can you get one for dogs as well as people?
I know a dog that had an ASBO put on it. Just for running up and barking at a woman who turned hysterical.
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Bad senario all around is neighbour disputes.I had one in Surrey (sad cow and very rich with it). Sent some guy round to measure our boundries just before we sold the place.Claimed we had 'stolen' some of her land.It cost us nearly £11,000 in legal fees and held the sale up for 2 years.We won in the end, but I could have done without it.
When ever and if ever you sell or they do, it has to be put in the details as a dispute.
Shoot the bloody dogs...end of.
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Luna did you have any witnesses to her tearing down some signs cos that is criminal damage.
What about phoning the RSPCA? Ask their advice about the dogs being locked up for 9 hours and then let loose to worry animals.
Although I dont like the RSPCA as a rescue society they are usually good at going for prosicutions of this sort.
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Regarding the RSPCA - I heard of a story recently where dogs were removed from a house, the owner signed the dogs over to the RSPCA at a later date and just recently, months later, we were told that means she avoids prosecution - that can't be true surely? If the dogs were in such bad circumstances (never out of the house, untreated sores all over from bites caused by a free for all for an opened bag of dog food left on the floor, excrement everywhere etc,)that they had to be removed, she must be guilty of a crime, and why/how can she get off with that? Anybody know if this is likely to be true?
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Yes its probably true Annie.
Although a crime has been committed it has to be reported to the police and if the RSPCA aren't doing that then no prosecution.
Then of course those people are free to get more animals.
I hate the RSPCA, as a rescue society they suck! >:(
PDSA or Breed rescues are much better. :)
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Yes its probably true Annie.
Although a crime has been committed it has to be reported to the police and if the RSPCA aren't doing that then no prosecution.
Then of course those people are free to get more animals.
I hate the RSPCA, as a rescue society they suck! >:(
PDSA or Breed rescues are much better. :)
The Police were involved. The story we got was a hearing was held, where she sacked her lawyer as she didn't want to plead guilty. But have heard nothing since
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I know this is going off the thread somewhat but it seems that the RSPCA or in Scotlands case the SSPCA seem at times to do very little. Some years ago I had neighbours who kept a donkey in their garden it was permenantly on a rope and it's feet were terrible as they only got the farrier about once every couple of years, it was fed on things like old bread and left overs with a couple of bales of hay to last all winter.It was just so thin and miserable looking I tried to persuade them to sell it to me when the SSPCA did nothing but it was supposedly the childrens beloved pet!! It eventually died.
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Let us know if you hear anymore Annie please.
You know technically anyone can make a police complaint about someone, so WE (generic term) could make a complaint about that lousy owner and the police HAVE to act. ;)
I never ever contact the RSPCA even if I see animals in trouble I tend to contact the breed rescue, Golden rescue, donkey rescue etc and follow it up afterwards to see what they have done.
I hate the fact that the RSPCA has a 14 day policy (allegedly) that if the animals are not rehomed in 14 days they get put down.
They have even refused to sell goldens to the golden rescue if they run out of time, they prefer to put them to sleep.
Make no mistake here the RSPCA SELL animals, it used to be £70.00 for a dog and £28.00 for a moggy, God alone knows how much it is now.
I know of a champion golden that escaped and despite loads of advertising the RSPCA got hold of the dog and as he was 'old' (9) they put him to sleep without the 14 day period as quote " He was too old to rehome." Allegedly.
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This woman has gone totally mad. We got a letter back from her saying that she would not avoid the times that we suggested to her in the letter for walking her dogs on our farm. She is now purposely walking her dogs during these times. She appears even more angry because our dog is no longer interested in her dogs and ignores them. Therefore because the dogs are no longer being attacked she can't get our dog put down. She caused a massive scene in front of customers at the farm shop and is now going around telling visitors to the farm that we have aggressive dogs and to stay away. She is now affecting our business so we contacted the police last Thursday and informed them that they should contact the SSPCA as there are welfare issues over her dogs. We have yet to hear an update!!
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I and Castle Farm told you the cure ??? :farmer:
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Get a couple of pound of mince and mix with some paraquat and feed generously to problem dogs, and even invite owner round for a 'special' shepherds pie, dig a 4' deep hole say big enough for a couple of small 4 legged creatures and one 2 legged creature and buy 20 bags of lime from local builders merchant, mix together in hole cover with spare road plate (bought from builders merchant) and enjoy the quiet rest of your lives...........
Just for the benefit of internet do-gooders and police this is a J-O-K-E :pig: :o
Is what she is doing classed as trespass or is there a right of way over your land?