[ramon]

My neighbours sheep often stray onto my land. Usually they wander off again within a couple of weeks if I leave field gates open overnight. However there is now one sick sheep on my land which is not leaving and which the owner has so far made no effort to remove. I notified him about 2 weeks ago of this problem (foot rot now maggot infested). This situation is distressing me as the sheep is obviously in pain. 

Although I have treated foot rot in my own goats and sheep in the past they have all been relatively tame. This is horned and not tame so I cannot help. I'm also relatively old and no longer keep my own livestock.

I have a very good relationship with my neighbours but they are now very old and the farm management has been taken over my a son who doesn't seem to care.

I am not sure what to do. I'm in Scotland.

[Fleecewife]

Contact Animal Health by phone and ask their advice. You cannot leave an animal in pain. If your neighbour's animals are not being cared for then AH need to know so they can act, for the animals' sakes.


The way to keep your neighbour's livestock off your land is to have good fences and gates.

[ramon]

Thanks for the reply, I was not sure who to contact. I'm going to give my neighbour one last chance to act then will do as you suggest. This is a difficult situation as these are my only neighbours for some miles and so far we have had a very good relationship.
 My fences, dykes and gates are in good repair. My neighbour's fences not so good and sheep escape onto the road and get up my drive. My home is a long way from the road so I eject them through gates nearer my home. This has been a manageable problem so far.

[ramon]

The threat of contacting Animal Health was enough, although a pity it needed this to provoke action. Sheep picked up this morning and hopefully now treated.
Thanks again for the advice.
Hoping neighbour relationship not too badly damaged.

[Fleecewife]

You did the right thing. Animal welfare comes first. Just be as friendly as you have always been to your neighbour and hopefully they will come round.
I understand now about the fences!