A financial consultant says one of his dachshunds died when it was deliberately run over by a farmer in a row that broke out over dog walking on private land.
The farmer, however, said he had no idea he had run over an animal and said he approached the dog walker as he feared he was on his land hunting for Grebes, a type of duck.
The incident happened on Thursday April 3 when Jeremy Furnell walked his two dachshunds Misty and Mr Bojangles on land on the outskirts of Manea.
Mr Furnell said he had wandered off the public footpath onto a track that runs round a field of rape at the back of a building plot he owns in Westfield Road when he saw pig farmer Brian Risely drive towards him at speed in a small red van.
“As he got closer I picked up my two dogs. He came screeching towards me and slammed on his brakes. He opened his door and shouted at me to get off his land.
“I said sorry mate I didn’t realise I was doing any harm,” but the conversation turned into heated words exchanged by both parties and led to Mr Risely reaching for a small box on his dashboard, he said.
“He told me they were bullets to kill the dogs,” and then slammed the car door shut and drove at him, only missing because he jumped out of the way, he said.
“I lost my temper and yanked his door open, grabbed him and pushed him over on the passenger side, I grabbed hold of his firearm and threw it on the ground and said you can’t shoot me now.”
The farmer revved his engine, spooking the dogs who ran off. The farmer then zig zag chased them in his van, Mr Furnell said and he watched in horror as the van went over both dogs.
Misty dragged herself to Mr Furnell and died in his arms.
Mr Bojangles dragged himself into a field and was found the next day by schoolchildren.
The surviving dog was so distraught Mr Furnell has since bought a new companion for him, nine week old Amber.
Mr Risely, however, said that Mr Furnell was trespassing on his land and he approached him as he was concerned he was looking for Grebes.
He said: “I asked him three times to get back to the footpath and he got violent.
“He knocked me unconscious and when I came round he had a gun and was pointing it at me.
“I didn’t drive my van at him. He was hanging on the door. I’m sorry a dog was run over, but how can I expect to see a little dog.
“I have a gun to scare pigeons. I have had problems before but when I tell people not to come on my land they usually don’t come back,” he said.
“I have now given my guns away to family members,” he said and added Mr Furnell had electric gates at his home which proved he had something to hide.
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