Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 40 total)
  • Sheep Worrying in the Pentlands.
  • 2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    I was out for a ride in the Pentlands today.
    I was coming from Loganlea toward Green Cleugh, Hare hill on my left, Black hill on my right.
    I group of sheep, about ten of them, ran across the trail in front of me, closely followed by a big dog.
    The sheep got up a steep embankment that the dog couldn’t get up.
    The dog then returned to its shouting owners.
    They were up Hare hill, some distance away from this.
    I carried on to the gate where i was going to go up Black hill.
    As the two owners came down off the hill toward me, i took some photos of them & their dogs.

    I didn’t give them a rant, kinda wish i did now, although they did know they’d messed up, they kinda laughed and said, “sorry, we can’t control the dogs.”

    It’s lambing season, pregnant ewes around and there have been reports in the paper about this kind of thing.
    We have pretty amazing access laws in Scotland, it’s this kind of behaviour that could screw it up for us all.

    Anyway, what else could i have done and are the photos of any use to Police? Farmer?

    Here they are…

    bigjim
    Full Member

    There is a phone number on the gate at Bonaly for the tenant farmer if you witness sheep worrying around that area. Best thing to do would be to email the Pentland rangers and let them know, I wouldn’t think they would take direct action unless a sheep had been mauled or something, which also happens every year, a couple of years ago there were some pictures of the mauled sheep posted on the main paths but they got taken down pretty quick. I used to live at Castlelaw farm and was constantly amazed by people not giving a hoot about their dogs chasing sheep, most seem to find it highly amusing.

    The rangers have a close relationship with the police and fire brigade – I helped put out a fire some kids lit by Bonaly reservoir last year and the rangers said they have several fire brigade call outs a week to Bonaly during the summer and have a special liaison with the police to try and catch the culprits.

    pastcaring
    Free Member

    big signs around here,

    dogs found worrying sheep will be shot!

    i think you should at least report it to the ranger.

    i’m very careful with my dog around livestock. i wouldn’t want to loose my boy,
    if people can’t control their dogs they shouldn’t be off leash!

    ” they kinda laughed and said, “sorry, we can’t control the dogs.”

    not exceptable imo,

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    Kit
    Free Member

    I saw that Evening New article the other day, and am impressed that the police are taking it seriously too. I’d get in touch with the ranger and leave it to them to contact farmer/police etc, as those women may get reported.

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    You know when farmer’s say they’ll shoot dogs who hassle sheep – can they do it after the event? Say 2wheels knew the farmer and gave him a ring there and then, and the farmer met the two ladies at Bavelaw – could he legally shoot the dogs?

    Just wondering because I’ve seen dogs chase sheep a few times in the Pentlands but it seems the odds of the farmer being right there with his shotgun are really remote.

    Was out in the Pents today mesel – nae bad. Although overcast in the afternoon – morning looked sunnier.

    pastcaring
    Free Member

    no not after the event…

    but i guess if there was undeniable evidence? than he could claim compensation from the dog owner.

    maybe a word from the local copper might make these two ladies a bit more responsible!

    allthepies
    Free Member

    Say 2wheels knew the farmer and gave him a ring there and then, and the farmer met the two ladies at Bavelaw – could he legally shoot the dogs?

    You’re joking right ?

    martymac
    Full Member

    doubt you could make it stick after the event tbh.
    the problem is the attitude that goes with this loutish behaviour, ‘heehee, our dog chased those sheep, but they are fine’
    but the reality is the sheep wont be fine, if they are still pregnant it is quite likely they will abort their lambs.
    dog owners think the countryside exists for their dogs to run around as they please, with little in the way of real control.
    (not all dog owners are like this, obviously, the majority control their dogs perfectly)

    druidh
    Free Member

    Pity they weren’t heading round to the Flotterstone side. Sandy the shepherd always carries a laminated page of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 with him.

    It’s the one he shows to the owners of the dogs he has just shot.

    stavromuller
    Free Member

    With ownership comes responsibility. As a dog lover I can only say dogs MUST be kept under control in the countryside.

    2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    So, what would you have done?
    Had a rant?
    Citizens arrest?
    Could i demand ID?
    Write it off as more stupid dog walkers?

    Kit
    Free Member

    I’d have ranted at them until they were suitably reprimanded then gone off to find the farmers phone number on one of the gates to give him a call.

    ashfanman
    Free Member

    You know when farmer’s say they’ll shoot dogs who hassle sheep – can they do it after the event? Say 2wheels knew the farmer and gave him a ring there and then, and the farmer met the two ladies at Bavelaw – could he legally shoot the dogs?

    What, like if he just bumped into them in the supermarket?

    “Oh, morning ladies, I’ve been looking for you.”

    KA-BOOOM

    😆

    pastcaring
    Free Member

    i would of reminded them that their dogs could be shot for sheep worrying.
    no need to be an arsehole, just have to remind them of the consequences.
    lots of dumb **** out there, who really don’t know any better.

    2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    Got this e-mail today.
    Cage rattled me thinks…

    I have read your e-mail which was sent to the pentland rangers about 2 good friends of mine. I thought you might like to know that one of them is a farm manager’s wife who is busy doing the lambing at this minute and the other is from farming background too!!! You’re e-mail is somewhat slanderous and totally made up. What right did you have sneakily taking a photo of them and they were not aware of this. You must have a very good imagination have nothing better to do with your time. I feel the pentland rangers had no right circulating this e-mail and should have seen into it further and spoken to my friends as they did have their names and knew who they were. They had a right to respond to this allegation before it was circulated.

    Yours

    A very angry hillwalker and dog owner!!!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I love theway they claim it is made up when you were there and they were not 🙂

    Posting the email address is a bit harsh tho I think.

    druidh
    Free Member

    2wheels1guy – Member
    “I feel the pentland rangers had no right circulating this e-mail “

    I don’t understand this bit. Where was this circulated?

    2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    TandemJeremy – Member
    I love theway they claim it is made up when you were there and they were not

    Posting the email address is a bit harsh tho I think.

    Fair enough, edited.
    I’m gobsmacked at the cheek of the woman though!

    druidh – Member

    “I feel the pentland rangers had no right circulating this e-mail “
    I don’t understand this bit. Where was this circulated?

    Don’t know who the ranger sent the email to or how this clown got a hold of it.

    user-removed
    Free Member

    So they’re both from farming backgrounds yet their dog is out of control and chasing sheep? Smells like BS to me…

    And just for the record (and I’m sure you already know this) you are quite within your rights to take pictures of whoever and whatever you like if you’re not on private property.

    MrSynthpop
    Free Member

    Speculation but presumably the rangers forwarded your mail round the locals with an ‘anyone recognise these two’ header added.

    Thats a data protection act no-no as its handed the local numpty your information (and depending on your email address and the covering note your name/other details) so you may now be in a position of recieving anything the local red socks/dog walker brigade want to send to you. Plus its unlikely to help with the old MTB/walker unpleasantness.

    If it was me I’d drop the rangers a mail with the email above attached querying how your details got into circulation. If they give you a reasonable answer then fine but on the face of it a complaint to the information commissioner (ICO.gov.uk) wouldn’t be out of line either.

    The two women in the photo also have a case for complaint if the Rangers spammed the mail/photo round the local area rather than investigating quietly.

    That said if the rangers are volunteers and are generally decent then its probably not worth taking the ICO route as it’ll generate stress for them – I’m not familiar with the pentlands system but seem to recollect they are volunteer.

    Sanny
    Free Member

    Ditto re the Data Protection Act. Oh and there’s no such thing as slander in Scotland but defamation. A poorly worded empty threat e mail from an angry hill walker. I’d definitely be having a few less than happy words with whoever circulated your details. Oh and good on you for raising it. Even if they are who they are claimed to be, their actions with their dog are doing neither them nor the dog any favours.

    allthepies
    Free Member

    lol! So she’s basically calling you a liar and so believes that you spend your time taking pics of random people and then posting a pack of lies about them on t’interweb. Riiiiiiight.

    Oh, yes, very bad form for the rangers to forward your Email in unredacted form.

    druidh
    Free Member

    MrSynthpop – the Ranger Service is composed of both paid full-time and part-time volunteer members.

    I remain confused regarding the email received by the OP as the suggestion is that the Rangers knew the two women prior to circulating their email?

    bigjim
    Full Member

    Put a postive spin on it by replying that as they are farmers they’ll be grateful that members of the public are concerned about sheep being chased by dogs, and point out that there are numerous signs on the gates in the pentland informing the public to report sheep worrying incidents, and indeed there are now signs saying the farmer may shoot dogs seen worrying sheep (gone up in the last week or two), and leave it there. If you want to be smarmy you could always say perhaps he should point out to his friends that their dog might be shot by a gun rahter than a camera but perhaps thats pushing it!

    chakaping
    Free Member

    bigjim suggests the perfect course of action IMO.

    Although perhaps get the ranger to forward you the original list of recipients so that you can CC all of them when you reply (and so they can see the email you received).

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    The friend/complainer is a muppet as well rehearsed above, I probably would waste time replying to him/her though.

    If it was me I’d drop the rangers a mail with the email above attached querying how your details got into circulation. If they give you a reasonable answer then fine but on the face of it a complaint to the information commissioner (ICO.gov.uk) wouldn’t be out of line either.

    Definitely.

    The two women in the photo also have a case for complaint if the Rangers spammed the mail/photo round the local area rather than investigating quietly.

    Do they? How

    2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    I did think of the data protection thing, I don’t want these nutjobs wading in but I don’t want to cause a problem for the rangers, he had good intentions I’m sure.
    I think I’ll reply with an uber-polite email, gushing in thanks.
    I want to make this harpy flip.
    I’ll copy & paste it later.
    😀

    bigjim
    Full Member

    Yeah the Rangers do a good job I can’t see the point in dragging them through mud over an email.

    GEDA
    Free Member

    group of sheep, about ten of them, ran across the trail in front of me, closely followed by a big dog.
    The sheep got up a steep embankment that the dog couldn’t get up.

    So it was the lab that was chasing the sheep? I grew up on a farm and and going back this weekend to help my dad and brother with the lambing and that must have been one rubbish dog to be beaten by sheep on a hill. I can’t believe the Collie could not do it.

    Fair play on you for being concerned about sheep worrying and it is great you raised your concerns but it sounds to me like the women had it about right and the dogs were out of control but they took the right action and put them on leads by the look of your picture. Maybe that was due to you asking wtf they were doing?

    If they did come from a farming background then they may not have been too concerned about what the dogs were doing. Worrying sheep to me usually is two escaped dogs without owners running the sheep ragged. My brothers sheep dogs are not the kindest to his sheep, sometimes the dog needs to be like that. My dad buys sheep that have never seen a dog and have been rounded up with a quad so need to learn what a dog is. Even in lambing time we will use dogs to round up the sheep of catch them if they need looking at. The worst thing is prolonged stress for sheep.

    GEDA
    Free Member

    Double Post.

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Haha, these targeted ads crack me up, I’m now being offered Sheep Wormers from Mole Valley. How can I refuse? 😀

    GavinB
    Full Member

    Haha – yup, I’ve got the tricky choice between Sheep Wormers or a Manchester 1-day spa deal.

    Decisions, decisions… 😛

    2wheels1guy
    Free Member

    Well here it is, hope she likes it…

    RE: Sheep worrying (not)

    Dearest Linda,
    Thank you so much for your kind correspondence.
    It is truly heart warming that there are still people willing to comment on events they weren’t party to.
    I am flattered by your praise of my imagination, I am also impressed that all my friends suffered the same delusions, perhaps you think we were suffering severe dehydration or mass hysteria.
    I am sure that as your friends are so entwined in the farming business, they would be very grateful that vigilant members of the public are so concerned for their livelihood.
    There are many signs around the Pentlands warning of sheep worrying and asking the public to report it.
    I would have hoped your friends would have behaved in a more responsible manner.
    Perhaps next time someone will be shooting a gun at the dogs instead of a camera.

    Couple of points if I may,
    There’s no such thing as slander in Scotland, defamation perhaps.
    A member of the public has the right to photograph anything not on private property.
    Subject heading : RE: Sheep worrying (not), not, at the end of a sentence is only suitably used by 12 year olds, from 1995.
    You’re = you are.

    Please feel free to consume more wine and fumble out another email.

    My kindest regards,

    A not at all angry mountain biker and dog lover.

    😀

    hels
    Free Member

    You Go Girl !!

    jonnyrobertson
    Full Member

    Just stumbled across this thread, good work old chap! Keep us posted! 🙂

    AnalogueAndy
    Free Member

    jonnyrobertson – Member
    Just stumbled across this thread, good work old chap! Keep us posted!

    Ditto.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Nice reply

    nosedive
    Free Member

    agreed. nicely done. humour but with a good edge to it. please do keep us posted.

    PaulGillespie
    Free Member

    Like it 🙂

    Do let us know if you get a response.

    dazzlingboy
    Full Member

    Nice – let’s see the response when it comes!

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