Category: Miscellaneous

Simons story – hunted by cattle

Response ID 291,908,092, Report number 792

Date of incident: 12/09/23

no dog lone walker

I was walking on my own on a footpath on the north side of the stream which flows east to Fordingbridge from beyond Rockbourne. I entered the large field by a stile at the east end with the exit stile at the west end. The path was parallel to a fence with stream lower down & brambles & shrubs filling the gap between the barbed wire fence & stream. The field rises on the right but stays level by the fence all the way to the exit stile. It seemed a long way on level ground to the exit in the west.

After a few steps I saw cattle grazing on the sky line near the top of the field. When I next looked one was staring at me. I avoided looking at them & walked a little faster. I looked up after a few seconds and the herd of about 10 cattle were walking down hill exactly towards me. I knew if they started to go faster I would not make it to the end. I quickened without running. I felt the ground vibrating, looked sideways & saw they were running towards me. The barbed wire fence on my left had brambles & thick vegetation behind it.

Continue reading “Simons story – hunted by cattle”

Cooper was pinned to the ground by cattle.

20/09/2023

on public footpath near Durham

https://explore.osmaps.com/pin?lat=54.735290373945105&lon=-1.5851990560360036&zoom=16.0

I was walking along a public footpath with Cooper,(a black lab I walk for a friend,) on a lead with a few friends. There was a mixed herd of cattle dotted around the public footpath, with a bull and some cows. One cow suddenly charged at Cooper out of the blue. I released the dogs lead and the cow instantly had him pinned to the ground, trying to gouge him. Luckily he wriggled free and ran after me. The cow didn’t pursue.

I was shaken by the incident, Cooper was bruised but no significant injuries.

I’m not really sure what could be done other than to remove the footpath or the cattle.

Killer cattle comment: If cattle have to be placed in fields with footpaths, fencing should be used to separate cattle and walkers.

report number 781

Response ID 290,726,193

Family walk near Stonegate Station Sussex ended in a mad dash to avoid cows

19/8/2023

Near Stonegate station, Sussex

We were walking along a public footpath. There were three people in our group with no dogs. We were familiar with the area and there weren’t usually cows in this field. One of the cows was separated from the others and we had to walk past her. This aggravated the other cows who began to approach us menacingly. There may have been more than one bull. I tried to clap but this made the cows more threatening. My teenage son started to run and we all followed and the cows followed and they picked up pace. We managed to cross into a neighbouring field over a ditch and tried to ignore the cows/bulls but were terrified. Annie says that ”There should be signs up and ideally fencing or electric wire to separate the cattle and humans”

Incident number: 763

Response number: 289,062,691

Grace’s story – “I was bashed from cow to cow a good few times before ending up on the floor”

Not an experience I would wish on anybody! For me, I was completely unaware that this kind of thing happens, and happens far more frequently than you think!

26/08/2023 – Goosnargh, Lancashire, details of an attack involving a mixed herd of beef cattle, with cows, bulls and calves.

It was around 09.30 on Saturday morning of August bank holiday and rather than walking my dog around the houses, I decided to take him into the fields at the back of my estate. There is a public footpath that crosses the field that I have walked many times without any concern and whilst I could see that there were cows, I didn’t feel uncomfortable about passing through (perhaps my naivety!) as the cows were some way off and I have walked through plenty of fields with cows in before. I was minding my own business, with my dog on his lead, not presenting any threatening behaviour when a herd of some 20/25 cows starting charging towards me. There are parts of the incident which I cannot fully remember but I do remember being stood there, thinking that surely they were just coming to encourage me to change direction, never did I think that they would attack me. 

Continue reading “Grace’s story – “I was bashed from cow to cow a good few times before ending up on the floor””

Julie’s story – “There are now two cow attacks on Totley Moor, near Sheffield, mine in August 2023 and now a recent one on 1st January 2024”

Update on Julie’s story:

Subject: 2 cow attacks 24.8.23 & 1.1.24 on Totley Moor near Sheffield

Julie has recontacted our team after reading of a recent attack in the same area she was attacked – the link to a press report of the attack follows:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/woman-left-with-broken-leg-after-being-attacked-by-cow-while-out-dog-walking-in-yorkshire/ar-AA1mmi68

Julie say “Having read today of another woman being attacked nearby by a cow on New Year’s day, I have reported both attacks today to HSE. It seems to me that at least one cow in this herd is unsafe to be grazing on unfenced open moorland near a popular bridleway. I have sent the photo of the cow which attacked me, (said photo is now the featured image on this post) The ear tag number is not visible, but perhaps the farmer might be able to identify his cow?”
Continue reading “Julie’s story – “There are now two cow attacks on Totley Moor, near Sheffield, mine in August 2023 and now a recent one on 1st January 2024””

Jeremy Vine: talking about cattle attacks

We share excerpts from the recent Jeremy Vine radio programme.

On the 21st July, 2023, Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio2 discussed cattle attacks on the public, and interviewed COWS member, Libby James. An animal behavioural scientist gave her views (although these views were unsupported by the evidence from our data base) and another victim of cattle, Sharn Thomas, told her story. Other people contacted the show and related their experiences, including a horse rider whose horse was attacked on a bridleway.

Continue reading “Jeremy Vine: talking about cattle attacks”

Natural Born Killers, by Siân Boyle

We discuss the recent Sunday Times article. THANK YOU to everbody who had contributed their stories.

The Sunday Times recently published a long piece on cattle attacks by Siân Boyle. The article featured on the front cover of the magazine, had a full 2-page title spread inside, along with 5 pages of information and personal accounts.

Continue reading “Natural Born Killers, by Siân Boyle”

Frances says: take a big stick with you, and remember to check for cow pats

I pick a stick from a hedgerow, and leave it at the other side of the field

Having grown up in a rural area I was always taught to have a very healthy respect for cattle. We were told never to enter a field of cattle (or horses for that matter) without carrying a decent size stick. Continue reading “Frances says: take a big stick with you, and remember to check for cow pats”

Petition about dangerous cattle ignored.

I know of several instances where dogs have been kicked and one lady chased.

In April, we received the following report from a Stourport resident. Sadly, this demonstrates how reluctant authorities are to take seriously the risk of injuries by cattle.

Continue reading “Petition about dangerous cattle ignored.”