The Argus – 'We will shoot pet dogs

theargus.co.uk/news News The Argus, Monday, May 21, 2012 19

Road actionplea renewedROAD safety campaigners haverenewed a plea for improvementsto a busy stretch of highway.

Locals have been asking forrestrictions to the junction of theA283 and Canons Way, Steyning.

Another accident took placelast week and while no one washurt, locals claim it is only a mat-ter of time before there is a seri-ous incident in the area.

Karin Lane, of Bowmans Close,Steyning, said: “It’s a busy road,and the traffic goes too fast.”

Calls for action were first madelast summer but West SussexCounty Council has yet to instalsigns in the road. At a Steyning Parish Councilmeeting,local andcountycouncillorsbackedthe res-idents’ renewed campaign.

But a spokesman for West Sus-sex County Council said the issuewas “not a priority”, adding thatthe next junction, Horsham Roadand the A283, had a serious acci-dent record.

Floral showfor festivalA FESTIVAL of flowers will beone of a village’s celebrations forthe Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

All Saints and St Richard’s Pri-mary School in School Hill, OldHeathfield, near Heathfield, willdeliver about 85 floral displays tothe village church on May 29.

Concerts and talks are alsoplanned in the church during theweek-long event. Fordetails emailvickicolne@aol.com or call 01435862695.

FARMERSare warningtheywill shoot pet dogs thatworry theirlivestockfollow-ing a spate of attacks onflocks.

Tim Armour, of Stud Farm,Telscombe, said he was pre-pared to kill an out-of-controldogto “make an example” of it.

He said: “It’s a damn sitemore cruel for a dog to attack asheep.”

Earlier this month MrArmour’s daughter, Camilla,discovered the remains of asheep withits head severed in asuspected dog attack.

He said: “Sheep worrying ishappening three times a weeknow and it needs to be stopped.We are going to have to shootthe dogs, which is not what wewant.”

Coombes Farm in Lancing reported three separate inci-dents in a week which left fourrams dead and one severelyinjured.

Mark Lee, of Manor FarmnearSaddlescombe,agreed thatshooting a dog could be justi-fied. He said: “I would onlyshoot if a sheep was severelydamaged.

“But farmers don’t walkaround with a shotgun for 24hours a day. The best way tostop the worrying is by charg-ing dog owners as much moneyas possible.”

Mr Lee said he would be hes-itant to shoot a dog unless hecould prove it was a threat tohis livestock: “Any farmershooting a dog should makesure they killit andthatthey’vegot evidence of severe damageto the animal being attacked.”

Mr Armour said: “TheRSPCA is quick to prosecutefarmers if they fall foul of thelaw so I would make sure to geta photo of the incident asproof.”

Cheryl Wood, from theRSPCA, agreed that shooting adog was understandable inextreme cases: “It is tragic if any animal isshot, but itis irre-sponsible for any dog owner toallow their dogoff alead wherethere are livestock.”

Jenny Smith from Chasing Tails, a Brighton-based dog walkers’ group, said shooting adog was “harsh” but justifiableif it poses a danger.

Farmers can legally shoot adog on their land which is wor-rying or about to worry live-stock under the Animals Act1971.

What do you think? Write to theletters editor or emailletters@theargus.co.uk.

GOOD SCORE: Pupils at West Blatchington Primary School in Hove celebrated scoring anew football kit courtesy of the Premier League. So far more than 700 teams have beenselected by the Premier League Charitable Fund to receive kits, which include a full setof strips and training gear.

by KATE PALMER

kate.palmer@theargus.co.uk

PICTURE: TERRY APPLIN TA15512A1

Farmers’ pledge after series of attacks on sheep

We will shoot pet dogs