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22 May 2003
Woman in coma following an attack
by beef cows
(Filed 22 May 2003)
www.land-care.org.uk
It was reported in the Daily Mail 21st May that
a woman in Cumbria, while walking her puppy through a field near
her home in Cumbria, was attacked by a herd of 20 beef cows. She
was severely injured and was transferred to Newcastle General Hospital
for brain surgery. The Daily Mail report recounts that the farmer,
who was alerted by the noise that his cattle were making, saw the
woman being tossed in the air. The newspaper states that the doctors
did not know if she would make a full recovery.
This tragedy highlights the problems that farmers
have been repeatedly stating in terms of the Land Reform (Scotland)
Act and its linked draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC, 1).
From the Daily Mail article it did appear that
there were calves in the field along with their mothers where the
accident happened.
The draft SOAC does explicitly state on page 36
"Livestock can easily be frightened by dogs and may turn
aggressive or panic, causing damage to themselves or property,
or be a hazard to the dog or the dog owner"
and again on page 48 it states
"you must not take dogs into fields where there are calves
or lambs present"
Land-Care would like to add to that the fact that
young stock, that have been weaned from their mothers, may also
take an aggressive approach to a dog that comes into their field.
This is fact based on personal experience with the farm's own cattle.
Fortunately I was near a fence and the young dog was quickly dispatched
over it. I had not spotted the heifers when I went into the field
on account of the terrain. The group of heifers came charging from
a distance.
Basically livestock and access takers, especially
those with dogs, do not mix.
One of the problems with the SOAC is that someone
taking access on a livestock farm may not be aware of whether or
not there are livestock in the field (and what kind of livestock)
until they are well into the field on account of the terrain, when
it is too late.
A further problem is that calves have the habit
of taking themselves off to hidey-places, well away from their mothers.
The access taker may realise only too late that he/she is in a field
with cows and calves. Worse, this person may inadvertently come
between the cows and their calves - dog or no dog that is not a
healthy position to be in. Good suckler cows have strong maternal
instincts - that is why they are good suckler cows.
At least in relation to livestock farms close
to urban settlements where most access is taken, it really is important
to ensure that access takers do not enter fields with cattle. Paths
should be provided that provide access but such paths should be
effectively fenced off from enclosed fields.
This tragic case, although happening in England,
may help to clarify liability issues with regard to the Land Reform
(Scotland) Act. Apparently she was walking on a public path.
www.land-care.org.uk
References
1. Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
SNH publishes consultation document.
(Filed 27 March 2003, www.land-care.org.uk,
click
here to view).
Further Reading Recommended by Land-Care
Mylius, Andrew (2001). Access: the Reality for Farmers, Landowners,
Foresters and all Rural Residents. LandCare Scotland, Vol. 1, pp.
3-18.
(Reproduced, with permission, on Land-Care,
11 November 2002, click
here to view).
Mylius, Andrew (2003). Land Reform and the Access Code: Problems
and Unanswered Questions.
(Reproduced, with permission, on Land-Care,
26 February 2003, click
here to view).
Raeside, Terry (2003). Land Reform: Response to Scottish Executive
Proposals for Legislation. Veterinary Hazards to Open Access to
Enclosed Agricultural Land. LandCare Scotland, Vol. 1, pp. 33-34.
(Reproduced, with permission, on Land-Care,
15 November 2002, click
here to view).
Will Access to Scotland’s Countryside be taken Responsibly?
(Filed 7 April 2003, www.land-care.org.uk,
click here
to view).
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