Event organisers and farmer unaware of the need to keep cattle away from large numbers of walkers (HSEadvice)
Report number: 1132
Date of incident: 7/6/25
Location: ///hello.rise.horns This is on a public right of way near Keighley and Silsden in West Yorkshire.
3/5 people no dog
Report: “One cow eyeballed us and ran at us. The rest joined in. We managed to escape through a gate. We were part of an event. The organisers were informed. I understand the farmer was aware the event was taking place.”
Charged at by aggressive cattle
Report number: 1131
Date of incident: 7/6/25
Location: White coppice -Chorley Lancashire
1 person dogs on lead
Report: “We came across a rather stubborn deer on a small footpath, the deer wasn’t moving and I didn’t want to scare it so I put my dog on lead and my dog began to bark . My dog is a beagle so it’s a loud baying bark – we eventually got past the deer and I noticed a herd of cows standing watching us on a small hill . There was around 20-30 cows with calves . Suddenly I realised they were charging towards me and the dogs – mooing aggression and meaning business – I jumped over a wall with my dogs into nettles clinging to the side of a river bank – I was terrified! I hid but the sound they made was terrifying- I scrambled along the side of the wall and eventually had to wade in the river to get away ! I have no doubt my dogs barking at the deer aroused the cattles aggression- I also have no doubt these cows would have killed us !”
Comment: “I recently saw a person on tick-tock running around cows encouraging people to do the same – telling people they are big soft docile animals! I walk a lot and I have seen parents taking small children up to cows and encouraging the children to pet them. It bothers me how uneducated people are about cows and the dangers . People are ridiculously unaware of the dangers and need educating on how to behave around these animals. Farmers need to do more about keeping the public safe on their land and nothing annoys me more than farmers denying cows can be aggressive by saying they are just curious! I am sat nursing just cuts nettle stings and bruises but I know that those cows were not being curious!”
Cattle Safety 