Forest cattle may lose horns after attacks on dog walkers
CATTLE in the New Forest could have their horns removed to stop them attacking ramblers and dog walkers amid increasing fears for visitor safety.
After at least eight serious injuries inflicted in the past 14 months, the New Forest Commoners Defence Association has written to 200 people permitted to turn out cattle for grazing, suggesting they dehorn the animals.
In July, Amelia Borrelli, 86, spent a week in the hospital after a cow gored her leg, almost severing a main artery, as she walked her dog.
Dr Tony Hockley, the association’s chairman, said previously incidents were “unheard of” but were possibly due to ramblers becoming “too confident” around cattle. He warned those licensed to graze livestock could be liable to compensation claims from victims. He said: “These days people are over-confident while in the forest and let their dogs off leads constantly. But we have also considered what more, as commoners, we could do to protect all forest users from very serious harm.
“We recommend that all depastured cattle are dehorned. We believe this voluntary step can address avoidable risk of serious injury. If somebody is seriously injured, they can claim against the commoner’s insurance if the cow involved can be identified.”
Elisa Allen, of the animal ethics charity Peta, said “peaceful solutions” should be found instead of “subjecting cattle to extreme pain”. Annie Cooper, of Acres Down Farm in Minstead, said while she already removes horns for “animal husbandry reasons” she did not think commoners should be made to do it “because of people”.
“If you went into the jungle you wouldn’t go and remove claws from tigers or tusks from elephants,” she said.