Dogsey

I feel for the dogs and the sheep, both innocents in all this, and he is doing his best to protect his responsibilities so that for me means the dog walkers are fully at fault.

I also agree this law will never change only thing I can imagine could happen is dog walkers being banned from areas where there are livestock which will be a shame as many walks will then be off the map and these irresponsible dog walkers will be fully to blame for it.

Agree Julie. Everyone is going to have to suffer because a few dog owners cannot put their dogs on a leash when around livestock. It isn't that hard.

Frankly, I would be really hurt/sad if my dog killed livestock and for that reason ALONE I would put them on leashes if I thought it was even remotely possible.

It's not okay to let your dog kill, spook, or hurt livestock and then say "It's a dog, it's what dogs do". Really? That is someone else's property, and you cannot expect them to deal with that.

When dogs kill livestock they are only following their instincts. They are not to blame their owners are. If my dog ripped the throat out of a lamb i would not be upset with the dog, I would be furious with myself for not keeping him under control.

WARNING Please proceed worth caution.
Some humans may not be able to accept the following truth. Some humans may be be disgusted by the following truth. Some humans may be sickened by the following truth. Some humans may be angered by the following truth.
Read the following at your own risk. I can not be held accountable to your emotions, thoughts, deeds.
I own 16 dogs at present. I have tended many aspects of care to as many as 68 dogs at one time as a career enhancement training. I've never had the following happen with/from my dogs.
Last March I shot to death 4 dogs that came out of my driveway as I was returning home for lunch.
They had killed all but 2 of over 80 chickens, all 4 of my guinea fowl, all but 2 of my gaggle of geese, 7 blue ribbon RedBourban turkeys, not a duck left alive from 17, and 8 rabbits left out of 69. The dogs had destroyed fencing and other stock containment facilities to do so.
I don't know who "owned" the dogs and if I did I would've most likely shot them(dogs) anyway and then went to the "owners" and told them what I did and hand them a bill for well over $10,000.00 Canadian funds. I posted a public notice stating that all animals destroying/killing/maiming/wounding any of my stock will be destroyed in an expedient manner. No exceptions.

There are many laws & Bi-laws in many countries/counties/areas, etc, stating that stock animals are to be restrained/fenced/contained/?!/?!.....
You want a "cute pet"?... ... keep it restrained!

In North America there are 8 genetically distinct strains of wolf left of 23. Of that 5 are on the endangered or at risk lists. The rest were systematically destroyed. Wolves kill only to eat. They fulfill a necessary role in the natural world, and lets face it, the human is world and all its trappings are sadly not a part of and as a matter of fact destroying the natural world.

Yet I am apparently expected to accept that dogs are allowed to roam free, killing for the sheer enjoyment/thrill of murder.
C'mon people. Millions of wolves were slaughtered because they killed to eat and feed their young. To add, if I went onto/into your property and killed your stock I would be put in prison. Which is step up(or down depending on which way you look at it) from years ago where I would be lynched.

Double standards really peeves me off. Human frail ego really peeves me off.

Musher, I have to agree with you. I've had to beat off attacking dogs several times. A vicious dog attacked my dog long ago, and I watched my brother smash the dogs skull open with a tire iron, and the dog still was attacking. After seeing that, I will no longer show mercy to dogs that are attacking ANY of my family.

I've seen a dog shot and killed on our property (I didn't shoot) that had gotten away from his owner as he walked by our house, and latched into a death grip with my dog, they could not get either dog to release and they were killing each other latched mouth to mouth, shaking their heads, and blood was flying everywhere.

My father told the man, "I'm going to have to kill him". The owner understood that my father had no choice and saving OUR dog who was on HIS property was what was important. He looked away and my dad fired a round into his head and it was over.

He called his friend and they came and took their dead dog away with an apology to us. My dog had severe wounds in his mouth and had to have special treatments for months. You can't just let vicious dogs get loose and when they do, you can't blame the owner for acting in whatever way they feel necessary.

I cannot blame people who kill to protect their own from dying. It's justified to me. Though I hate to hurt animals, and will only do so to save my life, the life of a family member, or the life of one of my pets, I'll gladly cause extreme harm to some other animal if that is what it takes.

Azz.....if people think so much of their loved pets, then keep them on a lead whilst around livestock.

Not much point in taking the viewpoint of the law being a silly when the farmer IS going to shoot your dog if it worries his livestock.

Musher - "Double standards really peeves me off. Human frail ego really peeves me off."

Yes, but it's so typical of nearly all humans. In some dogs the need to survive i.e. to have food is very deep in their genes. People will try to justify it in different ways but in some dogs it's deep in their genes. So owners of such dogs must ensure that the dog is on lead anywhere that livestock are kept. but they are often city types who know nothing about animals, who have dog because it's 'trendy' and makes them look good, it's kept in a tiny house in a concrete jungle sometimes with nothing more than a few square metres of so called 'garden' and when it does get out in the country if it is one who has deep instincts it will go looking for food.

Azz I am a true dog lover, if I seen a dog ripping throats out of the calfs in my care I would shoot it.
People seem to think farm stock are just a commodity but they are still the farmers animals not loves on the shelf, if a dog had got into your house and the only way to stop it killing your pets was to shoot what would you do ?

Azz has planted his feet on this issue. He doesn't consider what farmers really think of their livestock. It's their livelihood, and just as important to them as our pets are to us. They are NOT to blame when a dog dies while on their property attacking their livestock.

Azz would likely shoot to kill as well if a dog was ripping the throats out of his livestock or mauling chickens to death. What other choice do you have? Pretty much none. Allowing the dogs to maul livestock is absolutely unacceptable.

Wow. Controversial subject. However I see a general consensus leads to responsible pet stewardship.
Sadly yes sometimes hard decisions need to be made.
It sickened me to kill what may well have been a child's pet but....
My dogs provide life to me on so many levels it would hard for a great majority to comprehend.
Growing up as essentially an only child all my best friends were animals. We still ate them. Home raised beef, pork, chicken, turkey, goat.....
My respect for the animal kingdom rises to heights, sadly enough, almost unattainable by humans.
For one thing, animals are not pretentious.
With all due respect I need humans in my life and go at it with as much respect as is necessary to honour that need, mutually.
All said I wish all my best wishes and hope for a brighter future for all of the inhabitants of Earth.
Musher