Response ID 310,135,319
Report number: 1042
Date of incident: 15.11.24
Site: Burbage Bridge footpath in the Peak District just outside Sheffield
RA’s Report: “A group of four were walking on a damp foggy day, we set off through the gated footpath and immediately saw a cow in the valley below, I immediately put my dog on the lead, the cow stayed where it was. Our group became separated, 2 in front by about 100 meters, I could see the front 2 people were closing in on a group of cows, I now know they walked through the middle of the group of cattle. Our friends were waiting for us just beyond the cattle, we approached slowly with our dog on a short lead and I immediately felt threatened.”
” Suddenly a couple of cows turned and charged at me and my wife, I let the dog go, more through accident than planned and immediately one cow was on top of me causing me to fall on and over a large rock. My wife in front of me also fell with the force of the cow as it jumped over me, hitting my leg as it went. Another cow was towering over my wife on the floor The other two people in the party then ran back to disperse the cows which thankfully was successful.”
RA suffered a badly bruised inner calf, bruised and grazed knee and wrist, plus whiplash type injuries to shoulders and neck.
RA continues:” We obviously cut the walk short and returned to our car, on our way out of the gate we saw a sign on the gate warning walkers that cows were in the vicinity. The warning went on to say that dogs should be kept on a lead and if the cows became aggressive let the dog go and keep 5 meter’s away from the cows.”
“I have always been cynical regarding cows being aggressive and I have walked through many fields with cows as a child and an adult with no problems with and without dogs. This footpath is a regularly used popular footpath, I do not think a warning sign at an entrance is appropriate and sufficient to protect the general public and allowing cows that are known to be aggressive to graze with no boundaries is asking for trouble. I am not against free grazing but follow my experience it should have some form of physical barrier.”
Cattle Safety 