Your Views Online

Published on Tuesday 25 March 2008 09:12

Sympathy for a farmer who shot dogs among his sheep, having a flutter on Good Friday and Edinburgh Zoo's future.

The comments came flooding in over our story about the family left distraught after their pet huskies were shot by a farmer. Most of you came down firmly on his side.

Farmers are completely within their rights to shoot dogs that get on to their land. While they may look like pets, they can still scare livestock, and being scared is enough for sheep to have a miscarriage.

stef.s

It is the lambing season just now and the farmer was completely within his rights to shoot these dogs.

Logie Almond

Agree with the shooting due to the inability of the owner to keep these dogs in a secure and safe environment. He is now having to deal with the loss of the family pets. The farmer has a living to make and it is idiots like Mr Gilchrist who can easily damage this.

Mr Hankey, Edinburgh

No sympathy at all. The guy is 37 years of age. There used to be frequent ads on TV warning that dogs worrying sheep were liable to be shot. He surely must have seen them when he was younger. But he's still whining about it, writing to his MP and the like.

Fifi la Bonbon

Strident condemnation of the owner then, but there were a few onliners sympathetic to the family's plight at losing the pets.

Farmers have got too much power when they can open fire on a couple of family dogs. All these people who state he was within his rights obviously have never lost a family pet, never mind two in such distressing circumstances.

Dazzadini, Fife

Pet stories always stir the emotions, but does gambling on Good Friday in high street betting shops have the same effect?

For the last ten years I have been betting on football, rugby league etc on Good Friday because I have a telephone account with a bookmaker. I've never heard any complaints about that.

happyhibbie, Edinburgh

The church and religion have too much say. Wanted a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio to go with my Sunday lunch but couldn't buy one just before lunchtime on Sunday. The one good point was that by being early, it stopped me from becoming an alcoholic.

Dragonlord

Ah, there you go, the restriction does some good after all!

"Even if you're not Christian, there are good reasons to keep some days of the year special." Try telling that to all the non-religious and non-internet-savvy blokes who were bored rigid on Good Friday because they couldn't enjoy a few bets in the bookies on their day off work.

Finbar Saunders

Finbar suggests they might have got drunk instead. But what about the future of Edinburgh Zoo and protests about land being sold off for housing to fund a makeover?

Far better to provide much-needed housing for people than for animals who would rather be in Africa, Asia or anywhere that provides a more suitable environment for them than a zoo in Edinburgh.

happyhibbie, Edinburgh

The houses planned for this site are not "much-needed" – they are luxury homes for the wealthy. They will not assist in doing anything towards the Edinburgh housing crisis.

Irked, Edinburgh