Trespassing? Do you do it?

euser1984

There is a note on farms here where it recommends only "not trespassing" if there are signs up. http://www.mayococo.ie/en/Services/Environment/LeisureAmenities/Parks/

Do people here go through all sorts of areas with their dogs? There are lots of places I would like my dog to visit but I am often unsure as to whether it's ok to enter private fields etc.

andreac

Def not. If it says private and no trespassing then I wouldn't go into that area. There are enough places to walk your dog without going onto someone's private property.

Whispered

No I don't. There are loads of public places to walk our dogs, we're lucky. I'd worry about maybe disturbing animals or causing other problems we wouldn't even be aware of.

boomerang

A lady I know took her dogs into empty fields recently. No livestock there at all. The landowner emerged and fired warning shots over the dogs' heads.

I know of another area that's very scenic but sheep graze there. Farmer got fed up of scolding people off his land, and started leaving poisoned bait around instead. A few off-lead dogs died.

We're very lucky - we have permission from the landowner to take our dogs into their fields every day (except when the cattle are out) and we have lots of Coillte forestry close to us too.

Aru

No trespassing signs mean just that....so no I wouldn't enter land with signs up myself let alone with a dog. What looks like an empty field could be a crop lain/be kept for silage or have livestock that are not visible from the entrance.

Hell I wouldn't enter anyones private property without permission...field or not.
Would you go into someones garden without asking?why is farm property any different?

Loose dogs in any field this time of year are asking to be shot at TBH. Its the middle of spring and there are lots of lambs and pregnant sheep out..not to mention the risk to the owner and dogs health if they end up running into protective cows with newborn/young calves. Cows with young calves at foot can be more dangerous than a bull and theres no better way to make a cow protective than putting a predator like a dog in their space.

Dogs running loose on farmland at ANY time of year can cause issues particularly if they are leaving poo behind so they are not likely to be received very well.
Dogs can carry parasites like neospora in their poo that can cause serious health issues and abortion in cattle who eat the affected grass either while grazing or in the silage made from that crop.

euser1984

Aru wrote: »

Loose dogs in any field this time of year are asking to be shot at TBH. Its the middle of spring and there are lots of lambs and pregnant sheep out..not to mention the risk to the owner and dogs health if they end up running into protective cows with newborn/young calves. Cows with young calves at foot can be more dangerous than a bull and theres no better way to make a cow protective than putting a predator like a dog in their space.

No dog should be shot. Otherwise, your post has some interesting information - thanks. I'd imagine it would be illegal to use a gun in such a way?

Just for the record though - I was talking about land w/out the "no trespassing sign".

andreac

euser1984 wrote: »

No dog should be shot. Otherwise, your post has some interesting information - thanks. I'd imagine it would be illegal to use a gun in such a way?

Just for the record though - I was talking about land w/out the "no trespassing sign".

Its still not your land to go into, unless you have permission though??

If a farmer sees dogs on his land, hes completely within his right to do what he has to do to protect his livestock. Not sure why you feel the need to go onto land when you dont have permission?

There are more than enough places to walk your dogs thats public and free without having to go onto private property.

euser1984

andreac wrote: »

Its still not your land to go into, unless you have permission though??

If a farmer sees dogs on his land, hes completely within his right to do what he has to do to protect his livestock. Not sure why you feel the need to go onto land when you dont have permission?

There are more than enough places to walk your dogs thats public and free without having to go onto private property.

I live in the country and am interested in wildlife. You don't find many badgers or foxes at the side of the road.

andreac

euser1984 wrote: »

I live in the country and am interested in wildlife. You don't find many badgers or foxes at the side of the road.

But what has that got to do with walking your dog on private property?

euser1984

andreac wrote: »

But what has that got to do with walking your dog on private property?

The law is different in the UK - you have right of way for these kind of things.

Kamili

Tresspassing is against the law, regardless of there being a sign or not. The owner of the land is well within their rights to call the gardai, have you removed and prosecute you. They can even shoot your dog if they feel its a danger to their livestock which is their livelihood.

why would you trespass on private land? What gives you the right to do that?

Not only is it disrespectful but its disgraceful. Do you have a sign in your garden? Why does a land owner have to put signs up on his private property?

andreac

If you really want to then go and ask the landowners permission first.

But this isnt the UK, its Ireland?

euser1984

Some angry people on this forum - must not be looking for new people to hang around.

Brighten up, it's Easter Sunday. Happy Easter!

andreac

We arent angry, you put up a post and because we dont agree with breaking the law you say we are angry?

I really hope you never put your dog in a position that could get him harmed by trespassing. Trespassing is what it is, its illegal, so not sure why you think people would agree with you and be ok about breaking the law?

euser1984

andreac wrote: »

We arent angry, you put up a post and because we dont agree with breaking the law you say we are angry?

I really hope you never put your dog in a position that could get him harmed by trespassing. Trespassing is what it is, its illegal, so not sure why you think people would agree with you and be ok about breaking the law?

Maybe you should read my first post

DBB

Ok all, let's keep it nice. Remember that people are allowed to disagree with one another, as long as they show respect for one another.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

mikemac1

Lambing season OP, a farmer will go crazy to see a loose dog in the fields.

But on the leash isn't much better, there was a lady in the UK killed last year when cattle charged her dog during calving season. She didn't let go of the leash and was killed.

Compo culture and people sueing when they fall off gates hasn't helped either :rolleyes:

Are you in Galway?
Sure Merlin Park Woods is just a few km away! Your dog can run all he wants in there

andreac

euser1984 wrote: »

Maybe you should read my first post

I read your first post and I answered your query but because you don't agree with us, we are angry? It's breaking the law end of.

ISDW

euser1984 wrote: »

The law is different in the UK - you have right of way for these kind of things.

Nope. Scotland has the right to roam, the rest of the UK most certainly doesn't.

Kamili

euser1984 wrote: »

There is a note on farms here where it recommends only "not trespassing" if there are signs up. http://www.mayococo.ie/en/Services/Environment/LeisureAmenities/Parks/

Do people here go through all sorts of areas with their dogs? There are lots of places I would like my dog to visit but I am often unsure as to whether it's ok to enter private fields etc.

to answer your question no people don't bring their dogs to all sorts of areas on private land, its illegal, so yes we all have read your original post.

snoman

I've gone on private land before. Only if there has been no 'no trespassing' sign and if it looks as though others have been there before me. I'd guess that if you were to do more forensic roaming you should get permission from landowners, seems only right.

Binka

ISDW wrote: »

Nope. Scotland has the right to roam, the rest of the UK most certainly doesn't.

I think OP means the right of way, not the right to roam, system in the UK as in Public Footpaths. Many of these go through private farmland and can be used by people with dogs on leads and under control.

snoman

I've got a feeling that the right of way rules are not as clear cut here as they'd be in England, But that there are some established ones. Not sure how you would find out though.

irisheddie85

there are rights of way all over the country on farmland. the problem is no one will tell you where they are or if they are still in use. I know on my home Farm The top of some ditches is a right of way from years ago. but now we have all the land along them so it is out of use. And once we rented some land where there was a right of way through some one else's land. But because the two owners didn't get along it wasstrictly enforced as it was originally set up that it was the with of a horse and cart so we couldn't get a tractor in and had to drive animals almost single file. In Ireland once you step of the right of way you are trespassing and breaking the law

ISDW

Binka wrote: »

I think OP means the right of way, not the right to roam, system in the UK as in Public Footpaths. Many of these go through private farmland and can be used by people with dogs on leads and under control.

using a public footpath is completely different to going onto someone's land without permission, i.e. trespassing. There are also public footpaths in Ireland that cross farmland, the Greenway in Mayo, The Sligo Way etc.

You cannot go off a public footpath in the UK onto the land that isn't designated, so I don't think that is what the OP is talking about, they seem to be saying that unless there are signs up forbidding it, that you can walk across a field, you can't do that in Ireland or in the UK (excepting Scotland)

snoman

irisheddie85 wrote: »

there are rights of way all over the country on farmland. the problem is no one will tell you where they are or if they are still in use. I know on my home Farm The top of some ditches is a right of way from years ago. but now we have all the land along them so it is out of use. And once we rented some land where there was a right of way through some one else's land. But because the two owners didn't get along it wasstrictly enforced as it was originally set up that it was the with of a horse and cart so we couldn't get a tractor in and had to drive animals almost single file. In Ireland once you step of the right of way you are trespassing and breaking the law

I think there must be a legal diffence between rights of way and public footpaths, haven't a clue what they would be tho. I think some of them go back generations - rights of way, I mean. However as irisheddie85 has said they can be quite specific.

looking_around

I think it depends on the area.
Local to where I am, there's 'private' property/ruins. Pretty much the whole town uses it for walking.
However, it's not like there's an open gate. It's sad really that not every area has a local park/area for walking. Where, I live and where my family lives, there's no walking anywhere, thats NOT "trespassing". Unless you count the roads

So yes, at the possibility of getting lynched here. I walk in private lands. But I also respect land that farmers are using and will make sure to pick up the dogs poo.avoid certain fields etc.

euser1984

looking_around wrote: »

I think it depends on the area.
Local to where I am, there's 'private' property/ruins. Pretty much the whole town uses it for walking.
However, it's not like there's an open gate. It's sad really that not every area has a local park/area for walking. Where, I live and where my family lives, there's no walking anywhere, thats NOT "trespassing". Unless you count the roads

So yes, at the possibility of getting lynched here. I walk in private lands. But I also respect land that farmers are using and will make sure to pick up the dogs poo.avoid certain fields etc.

Yeah because it does say on the mayo county council website I linked to!

I still don't believe that it is ok to shoot a dog on your land....

boomerang

It is, if it is threatening/worrying your stock or it is about to worry/threaten your stock and you have no other means of controlling the dog.

Andy-Pandy

euser1984 wrote: »

Yeah because it does say on the mayo county council website I linked to!

I still don't believe that it is ok to shoot a dog on your land....

How can it not be ok for a farmer to protect his livelihood? If a dog is loose and hassling sheep i would expect a farmer to shoot it, its his right and I wouldnt blame him for it.

Whispered

I doubt the OP means he goes into fields and allows his dog chase sheep. I'm not sure, but I think that legally a farmer should not shoot a dog unless it's actively worrying stock. So if you're walking in a field with your dog, it is illegal for the farmer to fire a shot. Can anyone confirm this for me?

On the other hand, he'd be well within his right to tell you to get the F out!