Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Saturday 13 August 2011

Horrible , horrible start to Sat morning....

I have only just felt able to blog about all this, as it was so very upsetting . A stray dog came into the garden early on Sat morning (before 7 am) - we were woken up at about 7 am by the barking, which came from behind the house...

so went out to see what was going on - the dog ran off before we could see it but it had managed to scrabble open the pet rabbits and guinea pigs hutches and killed the rabbits and guinea pigs...fortunately it had not mangled them but just broken their necks - I guess by throwing them around a bit... Crying or Very sad 

The hens were also very upset as the dog (not any of the neighbours dogs, they are all locked up at night and definitely not a fox) had been scrabbling and digging around the hen house but could not get in.

Cassi and Tabitha cats were very distressed by the commotion and  Tom Cat was missing as well all morning which was VERY worrying - he turned up about 11 .30, all upset and fluffed up - I guess he went out to look at what was going on and got chased... Shocked

Have warned our farming neighbours - they have small pets, hens etc also sheep.... Shocked
 
Not a nice way to start the day
Sad Burying small pets, with a weeping Compostgirl at our side......not nice at all.

7 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry to read this. We love and nurture our little critters so to have them killed like this breaks our hearts. Our neighbors let their dogs run loose all the time, which makes them a much greater nuisance than my poultry could ever be.

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  2. Oh my that is just so awful.. what a dreadful thing to happen. I do hope CG will be okay? Please give her a huge hug from me.
    Glad it did not get to the chickens and that all cats were accounted for.. poor Tom Cat!!
    I think you were very wise to warn all the neighbouring farms so they can keep a look out.
    Jane xxx

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  3. Oh dear I am so sorry to read this, I know how distressing it can be.

    Take care and hugs to you all.....

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  4. Oh, how terrible. I do get so angry with people who let their dogs roam, or worse, abandon them in the country because 'someone' will take care of them.
    Hugs to you and especially to Compostgirl.
    Judy

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  5. That's horrible, I'm so sorry. It's worse when it's a dog rather than a fox, as it should be preventable if its owners take care.

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  6. It was awful to see - and very sad - I miss one guinea pig, Fudge, in particular as he was a jolly little fellow.

    The one remaining guinea pig who survived is still so traumatised and not eating much, even a week later, that we are going to re home him with a new family.

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  7. Only just caught up, so sorry :(

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Hello! Thank you for reading my blog and for commenting. I try to reply as quickly as I can and I really appreciate your interest in my life and doings here in The Compost Bin.

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