Escaped American XL bulldogs kill 22 pregnant sheep and savage dozens more
www.walesonline.co.uk
A farmer was forced to shoot the escaped dogs as they terrorised his defenceless livestock

Two escaped dogs savaged a flock of pregnant sheep, killing 22 and injuring another 48, before the out-of-control American XL bulldogs were shot. A farmer turned his gun on the pair of escaped animals that subjected his livestock to a brutal attack on a Welsh farm.

The financial cost of the incident, including the numerous deaths and injuries, amounted to more than £14,000.

The owner of the two dogs – David Hughes, 26, of Pen y Wern, Rhosllanerchrugog – appeared at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court where he admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and being the owner of a dog worrying livestock. Hughes was banned from keeping dogs for five years and ordered to pay £900 in fines.

  • tankplanker@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I’m afraid that’s an old wives tale, up there with not being able to spay a bitch until after their first period. Its owner preference as there are different health and behavior benefits doing it early or late, or somewhere in the middle.

    Personally I would set it at 6 to 12 months, you do not want dogs leaving the mother too young and you need time to spot some of the behavior/health issues.

    We have far too many dogs in the UK, just ask any dog rehoming centre, this is in part to massively reduce that problem while improving the health and behaviors of all dogs.

    • Urbanfox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I’d love to see the studies if you have some links. My opinion was formed on a Cochrane analysis of several longitudinal studies for cancer specifically in bitches by breed, so anything I can add to my research would be appreciated.

      • tankplanker@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        Cochrane analysis of several longitudinal studies for cancer specifically in bitches by breed

        Since you already have a few, why don’t you go first, as its you that is making that claim to be an expert in this field. I am sure you have plenty of them if this is the case? Zero point me linking you to your own papers.

        I outlined that many vets and associations relying on vets suggest its a trade off depending on what age you do neuter or if you do at all, rather than a blanket 3 year or not all approach that you suggested, implying that its the only option.

        • Urbanfox@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          You must have misread, I’m no expert - just a biologist who tried to make an educated decision on when to spay my lab. Happy to cite sources though - looking again, the study I found most robust is longitudinal rather than Cochrane but had a very large data set which was my interest.

          This for example helped me to decide to leave my spay until after 11 months.

          https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7359819/

          Feel free to share yours, it’s been a couple of years since I dug through research pieces, sharing information and forming educated opinions is key for good science.