UKC

To the morons today who let their dog chase a group of Herdwick yows above Honister Pass - HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME! And never bring your dog to the Lake District again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In reply to Removed User:

How do you know they're climbers? And moreover that they frequent UKC?

Name and shame I say.

In reply to Tony the Blade:

Pretty certain they were not climbers, but this bulletin board gets a lorra hits.

In reply to Removed User:


Couldn't agree more.

I've caught a few dogs at it around the place and unsurprisingly, I'm more than happy to wade in and castigate the owners. Being a vet, I can give chapter and verse on the damage likely to have been done, both immediate and in terms of lambing losses, and I always push for a name and address - most people have some form of ID on them, to cross-check. If it's possible, I'll then trace the farmer to inform them and pass the details on.

I don't know of a single case where the farmer has gone on to make a claim, but I think the full-frontal assault by a pseudo-authoritative figure (me) must have some effect

And as a hint, 'he's never done it before' is client-speak for 'he's bl**dy at it morning, noon at night; I'd stop him, but I'm a fat, useless lump and I'm only going to do something about it if people shout at me'.

In reply to Martin not maisie:

It did upset me to see those fine Herdwicks running scared sh_tless about a half mile down the hill in a state of complete fear and panic.

In reply to Removed User:


Thanks Cilla

I agree completely with everything expressed in the above posts, although the only time I've witnessed a herwick killed by a dog in the lakes was when a sheepdog got carried away and chased it off a cliff.
The farmer didn't give a shit and left it twitching rather than do a five minute detour to finish it off.

In reply to Martin not maisie:


Do people willingly hand over their ID on request? They would be under no obligation to do so, which is why I ask. BTW I totally agree that dogs that cannot be controlled should be leashed to prevent those chasing livestock.

In reply to Ridge:
About 20 years ago I found a trail of mutilated sheep between Arthur's Pike, spread over perhaps half a mile, perhaps 4 or 5 including a young lamb, following roughly the direction of the path down to Pooley Bridge. IIRC it might have been around Easter. A succession of animals had been killed.

In reply to wercat:


here comes the beast again....ARGHHHHHHH!

In reply to Ridge:

>>....although the only time I've witnessed a herwick killed by a dog....

The problem is that not all the damage is done at the time - sheep can die hours or even days later even if the dog doesn't actually catch and injure them.

The muscular effort the ewes put into their escape can have secondary effects (stress, low blood sugar, exhaustion, exertional myopathy) and particularly at this time of year the ewes are likely to be pregnant, and the consequences of even a half-hearted dog chase can be abortion and stillbirth, or death of the ewe through Pregnancy Toxaemia (Ketosis).

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Very good points Ron.

In reply to Removed User:

Yes, I too have asked people pretty sharply to put dogs on a lead when sheep are about. Mostly they do, but are often arsey about it, and "he doesn't chase sheep" is often trotted out...................
Its like when you get bitten and the owner says "he's never done that before"-oh lucky me, I always think !

In reply to nickh1964:

Hmm,

I usually have our elderly Border Collie on a lead, more because now she is deaf and her eyesight iffy, if she wanders off she can get difficult to recall.

She is a failed working dog, she wouldn't work because she is scared of Sheep, Chickens, Cats, Rabbits, Cattle, and........Frogs. She pretty much will not look anything in the eye other than dogs and humans.. Chickens in the village ignore her, sheep give her a glance and carry on about their business.

But, I am mindful that farmers don't know that she's a pussy, and rather than cause any angst, she usually is on a lead.

Steve

In reply to nickh1964:



If there are sheep about and the dog isn't chasing them, and the owner says the dog doesn't chase sheep, I can understand why they might get arsey following your initial approach !