Dear Editor,
With spring here, farmers are preparing for the lambing and calving season, which means dog owners are being urged to keep their pets under control near livestock and to avoid letting them loose on land where livestock are grazing.
Allowing your dog to run free in a field with farm animals can be seen as ‘worrying’ livestock, which is an offence.
‘Worrying’ is defined as: attacking livestock; chasing livestock in such a way as may reasonably be expected to cause injury or suffering; being at large, not otherwise under close control or on a lead, in a field or enclosure where there are sheep.
Under this legislation, the farmer has a right to kill the offending dog if they feel it is necessary.
I have lived in the Millarville area for over 25 years and I am seeing more and more new people that move out here just open their doors and let their dogs run freely.
Not only is it against the law, but it is the sign of a bad pet owner and seen as abuse to an animal. People don’t realize there are cougars, bears and coyotes looking for a good meal.
We, as farmers and landowners, are very tired of having to chase other people’s animals off our land that we have bought and paid for.
If you cannot control and take care of your pets, then don’t have them.
Tena Tayler
Millarville
