There is much more bird life here than at the last cottage. The other day I saw four fantails sitting on my front fence and four tuis flew up and sat in the macrocarpa shelter belt to the right of the house. Fortunately my cats are too lazy to take advantage of this avian abundance.
However the brutal reality of country life is never very far away. Yesterday afternoon two women knocked at the door saying that a dog was chasing sheep in a paddock near the road. I told them to go to the farm manager's house but it turned out he wasn't there. Two more people had got out of the car by this time and we all went round the hedge to the paddock in time to see a heading dog rounding the flock into the corner. Three sheep were already down, one covered with blood and its legs twitching. I showed the women where the gate was and one went and grabbed the dog by its collar. It was then that I realised it belonged to Irenie, the 88 year old lady who works here on the farm.
I told them that I would find some rope to tie it up but before I could do this Irenie pulled up on her four wheeler motorbike and called the dog who jumped up behind her. One of the ladies managed to lift two sheep back up on their feet and get them back to the flock. The bleeding ewe had to have its throat cut.
You're never very far away from death when you live amongst animals. I think to cope it's a matter of just enjoying the moment and trying not to worry about what may or may not happen tomorrow. I wish I could tell Briar that. She has made up her mind that Tobermory has gone back to the old place and spends alot of her time standing by the back fence looking over there and braying. I must remember to go out and bribe her with carrots tomorrow to try and get back in her good graces.
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2 comments:
last year we saw this happening on the farm land opposite to where we were living
that lady was brave
my friend and I were told to get the dog too
we werent brave enough
I dont like dogs anyway (unless I know them well I was knocked over by one when i was a toddler) but once they get a taste for blood who knows what they will do
we had already rang the police when our incident occurred last year
they ended up shooting the dog
what will happen to this dog now?
Jen
Nothing from what I gather as it didn't have blood on it. I think the owner got such a fright she'll be keeping a good eye on it from now on especially as she knows that you're meant to shoot dogs that chase stock. Of the last four places I have lived only one (the last cottage) was free from dog problems. I am so fed up with them.
You're lucky the police did something Jen. When I lived just outside Taradale and had pitbull terriers coming in and savaging Toby and chasing my pony I was just told to move- they wouldn't do a thing to help.
Jen
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