Pony put down and cows lose calves after suspected dog chases

Two fresh BBC reports bring the consequences of dogs disturbing grazing animals into focus—and raise a practical question for anyone heading out on a countryside walk.

Edited by Scoop · theTailed Newsroom · 3 minute read · 8 September 2026

A five-year-old New Forest pony has been put down after an apparent dog chase, while the owners of cattle at a South Yorkshire reserve suspect a loose dog was involved in the loss of two calves. The separate accounts were published by the BBC on 8 September.

The reports concern different places and earlier incidents. In both, owners suspect dogs disturbed grazing animals; that suspected connection has not been independently established. Neither account proves that such incidents are increasing.

For walkers, the immediate question is practical: what should happen when a route reaches livestock or free-roaming ponies? The accounts put that decision in focus, while official guidance supplies advice that applies beyond either incident.

Bessie’s owner describes an apparent chase

BBC reporting by Stephen Stafford, syndicated by AOL, says Bessie was found badly injured near Beaulieu on Thursday and was put down the following day. Her owner, Honor Dovey-Humble, said the mare appeared to have fled a loose dog before suffering a broken leg.

The report describes a neighbour seeing a dog among grazing ponies the previous evening. Dovey-Humble appealed to owners to think carefully before allowing dogs off the lead. It does not establish the cause through an independent investigation. David Bennett, of the New Forest Dog Owners Group, described the incident as rare and said most owners keep their dogs under control.

Two calf losses at a fenced reserve

In a separate BBC report by Naj Modak, syndicated by AOL, grazier Sam Sykes said a vet confirmed that two of three cows at Wogden Foot Nature Reserve, near Dunford Bridge, had lost their calves.

Sykes had noticed changes in the cattle’s behaviour weeks earlier. A trail user reportedly saw people with a dog inside the reserve. The suggestion that a dog caused the losses remains the owners’ suspicion, rather than a demonstrated causal finding.

Barnsley Council told the BBC that the reserve has no public access and is fenced off. Its grazing cattle help manage the vegetation. Sykes and his wife are considering whether to continue keeping cattle there. Their concern extends to the animals’ welfare and future breeding plans. The council said visitors could view the reserve from the Trans Pennine Trail.

What changes when your walk reaches grazing animals?

The Countryside Code for England and Wales advises keeping dogs under effective control and says using a lead around livestock is good practice. It also tells visitors to give livestock and horses plenty of space, follow local signs and stay within areas where they have access.

The lead advice has an important exception

There is an essential exception: if livestock or horses threaten you, the Code says to let your dog off the lead so that both of you can reach safety. Do not risk injury trying to protect your dog.

Those instructions need to be read together. Preventing a dog from approaching grazing animals and responding to an immediate threat are different situations. A blanket instruction never to release a lead would leave out advice that could matter in an emergency.

The two reports concern different places and different circumstances. What links them for readers is the decision made before a dog reaches other animals: checking the boundary, noticing what is grazing and taking responsibility for where the dog can go.

Sources and update record

BBC: Bessie’s death and dog warning · BBC: calf losses at Wogden Foot. The full reports were checked through their linked AOL syndications. Countryside Code guidance applies to England and Wales.

Reports and guidance checked 8 September 2026. Illustration is symbolic and does not depict either incident.