Incident number: 1215
Response ID: 318,377,455
Date of incident: 6.11.25
Location: Near Morden, Dorset, (WTW ref is chuckling.pounces.pianists)
Status: Between 3 to 5 people with dogs on lead on PROW
Michael’s story
“We were on the public bridleway that crosses the field onto Wareham heath. Cattle and calves were about 50 meters away and peaceful. Two dogs with us were quiet and on leads. It is a path we have walked many times. Suddenly a single cow left the group and began trotting towards us. We hurried to reach a gate onto the heath but the cow started galloping and slammed straight into me, knocking me down and partly trampling my back and legs. The others in my group managed to avoid being attacked.”
Michael went to A and E. He has severe ligament damage to leg, severe bruising to muscles in leg, back and shoulder. Fortunately the other members and the dogs were not harmed.
Michael adds
“The farmer contacted me next day and was very apologetic, also said he was “surprised” by the incident. He said he immediately moved all the cattle from the field and confined the offending cow inside a barn, promising that it would never be put in a field with a footpath again. (He was able to identify which animal did it, as he only had two of the Hereford crosses among a field containing mainly mixed breed beef cattle.) In an ideal world all cattle should be separated from humans and dogs by means of electric fencing on public rights of way, but I recognise the practical limitations of making this a 100% rule.”
Cattle Safety 