I have just opened my paper to find that a farmer has shot two huskies for sheep-worrying.It says that they had already killed one sheep and wouldnt stop.
I understand that the farmer probably had no alternative, but it seems such a drastic measure. I thought that maybe they could have tranquillizer guns to do this. Just wondered what peoples views were on this?

Very sad :(
But even as a Husky owner I know my dogs,but wouldnt want to 'test' their instinct the duty of care is mine to ensure this doesnt happen.
AS someone who grew up in Cumbria and knows the hardship and living hand to mouth existence for sheep farmers I dont expect the onus to be on them to shell out for tranquillizer guns.
The onus is on the Dog owner..simple!

I agree with HG, if your dog gets loose in a sheep farming area it's a risk you take - a fact of life I'm afraid :(

The saddest case I've ever heard of this was a lady who went to our ringcraft. Her goldens got out the garden one day and were running around the sheep field opposite, 3 of them were shot. Heartbreaking, they were typical friendly, happy goldens but I wouldn't necessarily blame the farmer.

The problem with Tranquilliser guns is that very few people are licensed to use them & the dose required to stop a dog could be extremely dangerous if the dart hit a human. A traditional shotgun is a far easier weapon to use

Sorry but if dogs are allowed out or escape & start chasing sheep they do not have to actually touch the sheep to cause them to die & one dog or two can cause the deaths of many sheep

I live in the middle of sheep country & my dogs are securely contained at all times.

I live in sheep country too and I'm afraid that any dog caught worrying sheep will be shot. Sheep aren't some sort of hobby, they are the farmer's livelihood and as Moonmaiden has said, the dog doesn't have to actually touch them to cause fatal havoc amongst the flock. Which is why you cannot trust ANY dog to be loose amongst sheep. No matter what breed or how well behaved you might think they are. (Working sheep dogs excepted of course!)

As someone else who lives in sheep country, I agree that it's a fact of life (and death) that a dog in with sheep (not necessarily actively worrying them) is liable to be shot, particularly at this time of year. Farmers are people too, some of them will shoot without compunction, others will be very upset to have had to shoot someone's pet. Unfortunately, some people never learn & let their dogs roam even after warnings without a thought of the havoc they are causing. Other people (like me) are neurotically careful, but still dogs can escape just once & be shot.

Farmers have every right to shoot dogs worrying livestock, and this can mean just being in the field with the stock, especially at this time of year when the lambs are being born.

One of my breed a young dog was shot by a farmer as it had got ahead of the owner on a walkstraying off the public footpath, and the farmer didn't see the owner until the dog was shot. 

The farmer had lost stock the night before, and was waiting on the culprit, and assumed it was this dog.  Trigger happy maybe, but the dog was dead :(

This is why it is so important to be careful excersising dogs in the countryside and to be aware that they may easily go into the next field where there is livestock.

My freind keeps her dogs contained on her Fathers Nursery at this time of year even though tyey are very good around livestock, as she worries about what might happen if something caught their attention and they went mooching into the neighbours sheep field.  The farmer knows her and that her dogs are reliable, but no chances are taken with lambs about.

Sheep and other livestock are a farmers livelihood, dogs can not only destroy the sheep but also cause ewes to abort.

Owners who cannot or will not control their dogs must, I am afraid, suffer the consequences (although it is the dogs that pay the price) by either risking their dogs being run over by cars or shot by farmers who will view them the same way as they view other predators or vermin.

My OH wants to live in the Lake District but I'm refusing - I know my Henry's not safe with sheep - I'm sure he'd never mean to hurt them, but once he wriggled through a gap in the hedge and was running happily around wanting to play. My heart was in my mouth every second until we got him back!!!!!!

I know that feeling LucyD.  My youngest wouldn't hurt a fly but strayed a little too far the other day with youthful enthusiasm and my heart was in my mouth too until I had him back in my sight.  I agree the onus is on us to keep them under control and wouldn't blame a farmer for shooting a dog in a field with sheep.  The tranquiliser route is totally unrealistic.

I know that the farmers have to protect their livelihood. I suppose, me being soft, felt sad that two dogs had lost their lives because the owner hadnt taken the appropriate measures.
I suppose its a hard lessen to learn for the owners but ultimately too late for the dogs.
The thing is that there just arent any second chances for dogs that worry sheep.

>The tranquiliser route is totally unrealistic.

Absolutely. Only a vet is licenced to use drugs like that, and has to be able to calculate the correct dosage for the weight of the animal. A farmer has neither the training nor the time to do that when he sees his livestock in peril.

Some zoo keepers/safari park keepers are also licensed but it's not feasible for them to be available for sheep worrying dogs

It's a hard lesson for the owners but the whole picture of animal welfare has to be considered & sheep have a welfare need too

By the time they got there it'd be far too late anyway.