countrytalkandtips.myfreeforum.org

wayoutwest · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 184 Location: west clare

Not sure where to put this...

I was just thinking about this forum, and the things I noticed when I moved over 7 years ago, that made a big impact on me.

one big thing for me was the local dog population. Our dogs live indoors, going out to pee and walk, and play, but then coming back in again. obviously farm dogs live out and around the place, looking after their territory, as is only right, but other people just seem to feck their dogs out into the garden/road/other people's gardens as they please. Our neighbours, who I have little time for, went away last week for 8 days and left their young dog outside running round the hamlet, with someone popping in to feed it now and then.
That really seems to be a dog keeping cultural difference, and it's me that is different, as everyone here seems to feel the same way. I noticed the same in the south east, when we lived there. The dogs run around the roads, and people don't swerve to avoid them, in the most, the dogs just get out of the way. or don't.

I think it would have been easier to have known this before I'd moved, just to prepare myself a bit better.

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blowin · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:11 pm Post subject:

Just as you say .
Loose dogs aren't a problem around here ( I suspect they would be disappeared if they even looked at the sheep ) but the ones which run out at the car are a nightmare . They crouch down in the undergrowth at the end of their drive ( street ) then dive at the front wheel just before you pass them . They are almost always sheep dog / collie types . With a bit of experience you can spot them up front but they still startle me on occasions . That is after 3 yrs of regular encounters .
It is essential to maintain your speed and direction when the dog runs out . If you swerve it will head you into the ditch , or into a position where you will have to run over the animal to avoid a collision . If you brake it will misjudge its run and end up in front of the wheels . Screeming obscenities is permitted tho' .
You very occasionally see a 3 legged dog , but not as often as you might expect . I have seen more farmers with the end of their index finger missing ! That is a fact , come to think of it .

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

This is just the same as it was in England not too long ago. I have kept dogs as long as I can remember, and I can remember them being given their head out side. This was in the cities as well as in rural areas. Times change and the dogs went on their leads and the crap in the streets problem dissapeared. I believe that there are laws in Ireland that cover dogs in public. This includes many breeds only being allowed out in a public place if they are muzzled. It is not enforced of course. I have noted that many properties around me have cattle grids placed at their drive entrancies. What a good idea. Keeps mine in and others out. While in Roman do as the Romans Wink

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quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

As an Irish man I can say the following.
Most country and quite a few urban Irish have little or no regard or respect for animals in gereral.
In the rural areas dogs are working animals and are very rarely allowed indoors. If they become ill they do not get to see the vet as this would cost too much. They are regularly abandoned when holiday time comes round and mostly left to their own devices. Our dogs live in the house with us, they get daily exercise and regular worm/flea dosing. We would be the exception in our area and have been told that our dogs are spoiled. I get really angry when I see the condition of some local animals. If an animal is not making money for its owner or is not doing its work it is either killed or abandoned [ irish greyhounds ] these are the same idiots killing our wildlife for sport.
I believe it is a cultural thing, one that is very slowly changing.
Rant finished.

One other thing...... the dirt and the litter in the countryside.......... Agggghhh

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks for that Quarryman. Working dogs in the UK are treated differently to the family pet. Many are shot if they no longer can do the mustard, and of course vet bills are considered against the animals worth.
Having said this these animals are not considered the family pet. I have a Lurcher. She has cost me many 1000s of pounds during her life in vet bills. Now she is old and completely run out. Years ago I would have gotten rid of her long before now, but I am getting on too. So our values change with the years. As it should.
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squirrel01 · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 90 Location: co. roscommon

blokes i work with can't belive that i keep two springers in house, then i rescued two kittens, they also live in the house, and as well as that i rescued a rabbit, and as it was to cold outside last winter, decided to get an indoor cage for it. it was all alone so we got her a g/pig for company, god im getting too soft......

bref · Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 136 Location: South Dublin

I think its actually illegal to break/swerve for a dog in the road. Impossible to enforce though.

The small town where I grew up started off as a fishing village, indeed thats where I started my fishing career. In times past they (fishermen) used to catch stray dogs and skin them(killed first though) to make floats for the ends of their gill nets. I actually saw one once hanging up in a fishermans hut.

keithrawlins · Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 152 Location: banbridge

in the north you can avoid a dog but nothing smaller, something to do with the value of the anamil. if you hit a cow in the day its you fawlt but at night its the farmers fawlt. go figger.

Paddy · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 17

Hello all, i thought i would make my first post on this thread because of the wild inaccuracies ( like my spelling ) on some of the things here.

There are people in every country who believe that when driving that they have the right of way and anything else shouldnt be there and that includes people, so they run them down.

I have never heard of any law which says it is legal to run any animal down or to not to avoid them ( is that one of those old wives tales )??

I think it is illegal for any animal to be loose in a public place including roads except on a road which is part of commonage where i think they may be able to roam.

We have our dogs in the house as do many many many others of all nationalities where we live including many Irish people.

quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

It is a legal requirement to stop if, while driving, you knock down a dog but not a cat.

Welcome to the forum Paddy, now try to guess my dog's name, the one in the atavar.

Michael.