That farmer reported scenes of “a massacre” to Mr Hadley, who rushed to the scene with his shotgun.
West Mercia Police also deployed about 20 armed officers with helicopter assistance to find the dogs.
Yikes! That's more like a war zone than a farmer's field.
Mr Hadley said: “When I got to the field I could see the two dogs chewing on one of my lambs.
“When they spotted me they came rushing to the gate.
“I shot one of them twice, but it just got up and both of them ran to the woods.
“They had killed 31 lambs and left 14 injured.
“There were lambs running around with chunks of their face missing and we had to put them down.
“It was horrific to say the least.”
What the hell sort of dog takes both barrels and shrugs it off? Either Mr Hadley is as lousy a shot as I am, or these aren't just your average mongrels...
It is believed police have found and seized the two dogs involved in the attack.
A 64-year-old man from Risbury, Leominster, has since been arrested on suspicion of being the owner or person in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog.
He was released on bail until 16 October.
I'll be watching this one with interest.
7 comments:
The shooting not being effective is probably down to range - a shot gun shooting normal bird shot cartridges would not be lethal to a dog except at pretty close range, and its unlikely in the circumstances the farmer could get very close to the dogs, or get an accurate shot on one.
"I'll be watching this one with interest." I hope you are not disappointed...there won't be much to see, Julia.
As well as the keeping of dangerous dogs, there is also the offence of criminal damage (the lambs being property). This could be followed by civil action in suing the dog owner for the value of the injured or dead animals (forget the court ordering compensation as it is rarely paid and is only a fraction of the true value, as well as negating civil action). A criminal record and years of penury may concentrate the dog owner's mind somewhat.
Penseivat
Most dogs are owned for emotional reasons. A few sheep dogs, guide dogs, guard and police dogs are of practical use. Yet we guard the rights of those who posses dogs and other animals for aesthetic reasons with an unholy fanaticism. It is not just dogs and the like we now do it for humans who commit criminal acts, even sometimes the most heinous. It is about time that we rejected sentiment and soppy progressive thinking in favour of harsh punishment to deter crime and to encourage responsible behaviour. If we do not then our moral decline and the devaluation of our standards and values will continue.
I am in favour of progressive thinking that wishes to enhances civil liberties, human rights and fair justice but that only extends to those who behave in a manner that does not do harm to person or possessions of others. If they do not then they should be ostracised and treated equal to the harm they have done. Short of capital and corporal punishment. Leniency is not an option as our mounting crime problems attest. Crime figures we are told are falling a rather suspect statistic but our propensity to do harm to one another aggressively does not appear to be doing so.
Correction, Antisthenes - Reported crime figures are falling.
This is due to:-
a) The populace at large do not bother to report crime to Plod, since unless it's a Facebook/Twitter hate crime or a charge of botty-touching at least forty years ago, Plod has very little interest in pursuing the matter
and
b) Plod's habit of re-categorising many crimes off the official statistics list.
I once rescued a stray dog which had been wandering for several days. I then discovered that it was a sheep chaser. One day it escaped and went into the fields behind the house and attacked a sheep drawing blood.within the hour it was at the vets being put down.I agree that the farmer should sue for the value of the sheep.
"...probably down to range - a shot gun shooting normal bird shot cartridges would not be lethal to a dog except at pretty close range..."
Other farmers seem to have managed quite well in other circumstances.
Which makes me wonder again about the breed of these things, that they can't be approached to satisfactory firing range.
"This could be followed by civil action in suing the dog owner..."
Given the age of the suspect, I doubt much educating is possible...
"If they do not then they should be ostracised and treated equal to the harm they have done."
Maybe the old punishment of outlawry should be brought back?
"I then discovered that it was a sheep chaser."
One remedy for this was said to be putting the dog in an enclosure with a wicked-tempered old ram. If the dog survived, it was wary of sheep for life!
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