[WhiteHorses]

We live on a lowland croft conversion scheme in West Lothian, which is 12 houses, all with land, built on a former farm. There is also about 50 acres of woodland and a further 10 hectares of grazing land, rented for sheep. The crofts are surrounded on 3 sides by other farms.

Currently roaming around the woods are around 8 stray sheep. The nice farmer next door who grazes his own sheep on the 10 hectares hada look and said they weren't his. He believes they belong to a large-scale sheep owner who rents some of the neighbouring land and has sheep all over the place. Nice farmer said he would tell the owner of that land.

6 weeks on the sheep are still at large. They also wander down the track along our land and onto the private croft road.
I have a young collie x huntaway with a strong herd instinct and if he sees them he will set off to round them up which makes walking him in the woods annoying as he has to be on a lead or will run off if he sees or smells them.

Can I contact anyone to try and get them shifted back home? TBH the fencing on the neighbouring land is just wire strands and the sheep and cattle can and have pushed through it before, so I'm not sure it will help.

[Fleecewife]

I would suggest you contact SAMU - Scottish Animal Movements Unit - in the first instance, for official advice.  There are permanent movement restrictions for sheep of 13 days in Scotland, so roaming animals make a mockery of that.
If SAMU can't help (and they are normally a very helpful bunch) they will at least point you in the right direction.
I wouldn't go trying to round up the sheep yourself until you have asked their advice and if that is what they suggest.

[SallyintNorth]

In the interest of neighbourly relations, I'd try to contact the sheepkeeper first.

When your friendly neighbouring farmer told that person, it would have been received as, "You may wonder where six of your sheep are", and not, "Six of your sheep are straying and causing a nuisance."

If the nuisance part is clearly (but politely!) communicated, and still nothing happens after a week or two, then of course you have recourse through official channels.

Just my opinion 

[WhiteHorses]

Thanks Fleecewife. Will try SAMU

I won't intentionally try and round them up. Pup is too young and silly. Older collie might, but we haven't got any where sheep fenced safe to put them, and I'm not sure which neigbouring field they came out of either, plus there's a burn in between most and us.

SallyintNorth I don't know who the sheepkeeper is. Farmer next door said he only knows who owns the land, not the tenant, although I could ask him again if he got anywhere

[SallyintNorth]

Do the sheep have any marks on them?  Around here, each farm has a mark - colour and position - that identify their sheep.  Ours is any colour right shoulder, our neighbour to the south is blue left hip, and so on.

[WhiteHorses]

What a good idea.
These don't have anything that I've noticed and I haven't been near enough to read their ear tags

[Herdygirl]

Straying animals is part of living in the country i'm afraid. If they are getting on to your land you could always fence to keep them out? and your dog in so he won't chase them.

[Castle Farm]

Buy a big freezer.

[WhiteHorses]

Thanks for the suggestions.

To clarify they aren't straying onto our own land which does mostly have stock fencing, they are in the woodland next to us and wander onto the track and private crofts road.

The woodland owner lives up in Perth and probably won't care. All the residents walk dogs in the woods, most of us have collies, some of them will chase sheep so it is a pain. Having the open space on our doorsteps is part of the reason we moved there. My young dog is being trained but his recall isn't solid yet and he is sheep obsessed so I can't safely walk him off the lead in the woods. He doesn't roam away from our land without me.

I know straying sheep are a part of country life. I've always lived in the country and had my own escapees in the past. It's not the end of the world, but I would like to get them removed if I can.

[shygirl]

I know people imagine moving to the country means more freedom for their dogs - but in reality there is often livestock on your doorstep which ever way you turn so dogs need supervising 24/7. we had an issue with a house bang in the centre of our farm, whose garden was open plan, no fences, they got a dog and let it roam and couldn't fathom why I was upset when it was harassing my livestock and wandering my woods where pigs farrowed.
if its not your land then keep your dog on a lead. simple. problem solved. I wouldn't make enemies with local farmers by reporting, you may need them one day, and they have long memories...
 

[SallyintNorth]

I do so agree, shygirl.  I see, over and over again, dogwalkers leash their dogs only when they see me coming.     I find myself thinking, "This is my place of work.  Would you think it okay for me to bring my dogs and let them run around and poo all over your place of work?", and wishing they'd exercise the dog in a town park, built for recreational use, and then, if they must bring it with them into the countryside, keep it leashed.

But, as a previously non-farming, dog-owning, countryside-walking-lover, I do also understand the other point of view. 

It's a tricky balance, and no mistake.

[Marches Farmer]

Do SO agree with the last two posts.  Also, no-one appears to be in charge of these sheep so what happens if there's a disease outbreak or one of them is injured?  Need to pin down the owner and get him to sort it but, as has been said, be polite.  Farmers do indeed have long memories and also many, many contacts in the area.