Hit A Stray Sheep On A Main Road

[daffy-dill]

Hi Can anyone advise? If someone collides with a sheep which has escaped onto a main road who is responsible. The driver, the farmer or the landowner. This happened in England.
Thanks for your help.

[frugalfred]

It is the responsibility of the landowner to fence in his stock (except if common land) You are in the clear.

[EDDIE51]

The farmer is responsible for making sure the sheep are secure , but if one escapes and you hit it that is your fault . Sorry frugalfred you are wrong.
You may not be responcible for the damage to the sheep but the car repairs are down to you or your insurance .

[B00]

My main concern would be for the sheep? Did you kill it? Injure it? If the latter did you stop?

[frugalfred]

Hi, Eddie. What I meant was that the landowner would have no come-back on the driver. I took the poster to be concerned about compensating the landowner for the loss of the animal.

[EDDIE51]

fred in that respect you are correct, but I can't see you getting very far by suing the farmer for damage to your car.

[Spoonboy]

I'd agree with the farmer. But, someone is definitely in for the chop!! :))

[EDDIE51]

I know a guy who was a chef, he hit and killed a deer on the road then picked it up took it to his kitchen and after butchering it served it up as venison. He would have done the same with a sheep.

[ELVIS68]

Eddie, he wouldn't have got away with serving sheep as venison :o)

[daffy-dill]

Thanks Guys.
Not sure you have helped but I appreciate your input. Yes, my step-daughter stopped and called the police. As an animal lover she is still distraught as the sheep had to be destroyed.

[DTCwordfan]

She is not liable....the sheep should have been in.

He is not liable.....these things are considered an acceptable risk of being in rural areas. She needs to claim off her insurance for any damage to the car. Whether her first level risk suffers, that is for her insurance co - one of those things of 'buy cheap-get cheap'.

As to the deer, (and pheasant etc), as I understand it, cruising the English countryside looking to kill beasties or birdies is not on, legally. However, being behind a car that smashes into a fauna 'victim,' you can pick up the wreckage totally legally..........

[DTCwordfan]

He, the farmer, for clarity......

[ELVIS68]

Daffy when you say who is responsible, do you mean responsible as in who's fault is it or who pays for the damage to the car?

[jomifl]

It s almost certainly illegal to sell meat from an animal that has not been inspected by a vet and/or slaughtered in a licensed slaughter house.
Naughty chef tut tut.

[Spoonboy]

Good job it wasn't a horse!

[jomifl]

^Game birds and rabbits excepted as the gentry like to make a bit of tax free pin money.

[Spoonboy]

A horse, chef, would have been scandalous!!

[daffy-dill]

OK. You can stop now. Was hoping for some genuine advice.

[jno]

you've had lots... I think the main query people have had is, what do you mean by "responsible"? Do you mean who has to pay for the damage to the animal? To the car? Or who is legally liable for the traffic accident?

[daffy-dill]

Yes, I mean who is responsible to pay for the damage to the car. The farmer took the sheep away, and we appreciate a life was lost, but it could have been two lives.

[EDDIE51]

The damage to the car is down to the insurance to sort, the driver is not responsible for any cost to the farmer in respect of the sheep.