To think the de-horning of cattle in the New Forest to protect walkers is wrong?

As long as each animal gets a local anaesthetic

It's part of their character, Alexa. Would you agree with removing tusks from elephants to protect tourists on safari?

I agree horns on cattle are decorative. But walkers' safety in more important. There aren't any elephants in the New Forrest as far as I know .

PS tourists should stay at home and save fuel.

We have deer in Bushy Park. At the moment it is the rutting season and the stags can get quite aggressive, going for dogs and sometimes people. A car was recently attacked by a stag in Richmond Park. No one suggests that they should have their antlers off. People just need to use their common sense and not get too near the cows.

I agree, it's wrong why do people need to walk where these cattle are,keep away and keep dogs on leads anyway

It's difficult if there are public footpaths going through where cattle are. I can't help thinking about this poor woman. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-49775279

No leave them alone people need to adjust to the animal world when walking in their domaine
I wouldn’t walk anywhere near cattle that are not fenced in they are big beasts compared to a little person

cattle do not need horns to kill people - they 'bunt' you and then crush you. Stay away and keep dogs away - leave go of dogs if you are attacked by cattle. Suckler herds can be much more dangerous than bulls.

btw, antlers of deer and horns of cattle are completely different. Horn is mostly keratin (like hooves) but antlers are bone growing directly from the skull, so making a direct comparison with dehorning or disbudding is a false equivalence.

Dehorning is not going to make the New Forest safer separating walkers from cattle is the only way to do that. Walkers that take dogs through areas with cattle are really stupid and I have no sympathy, trampling is going to do much more damage than horns.

I agree with Bluebell.
But I wonder about the wisdom of allowing public access to areas such as the New Forest. Which seems to be open to cattle and deer.
People and cattle aren't a good mix. Deer are usually more timid, but not in the rutting season.

A friend of mine nearly died when one of her cows attacked her. And, of the three farms in our village two of the farmers wives have been seriously injured in the past by cattle. They are dangerous creatures.

I live in the area quite surprised this has made the national press.

ps to my post - I wouldn't agree to de-horning cattle. Or deer.

Oh, shut the bloody things in sheds put a fence round them.

Wouldn't want pain inflicted on animals, but places like the New Forest are for people to enjoy. If anyone wants to keep animals like that, they should keep them away from people. Buy their own bit of land, and to hell with 'Commoners rights'.

Well as someone who loves to walk in forests, I would say keep the horns on the cows. How awful to even contemplate dehorning them.

We're turning into such a nanny state!

I'd advocate for rewilding, too, if it weren't for humans stupidly wanting to destroy wildlife.

Alexa Have you been to the New Forest at all? Your comment seems very ignorant. People live there - lots of people. The cattle and the ponies roam freely. It's not just a matter of pompously stating that people should 'stay home and save fuel'. How bloody self-righteous.

These animals are usually there for a reason. If the animals were not there the forests would soon become very overgrown and wild. If that happened it would not be the ideal place to try and walk. The same reasoning why there are sheep and ponies on the Brecon Beacons and other such areas.

That is disgusting. Animals should live in as natural a state as possible, and humans should learn to adapt to them rather than making them adapt to us.

I think the animals are there simply because the long-standing New forest inhabitants have grazing rights. I don't think long-horned cows make a contribution to keeping the grass down on those huge 'bottoms' (as they call them).

Well I don’t have a problem with it to be honest. The animals roam freely in the New Forest, they could be anywhere where walkers go. Or where children are. The animals are not fenced in a paddock or field. Obviously people should try to keep away from the horses and the cattle, but it’s not always possible.

There is no point in dehorning them and I would not condone it, especially highland cattle whose magnificent horns are their glory. As others have said, cattle can be just as dangerous without horns as with. We were on a public footpath with cows around in the Peak District. I had fallen behind DH to take photographs and walked quietly past a large bullock standing on its own when it came up behind me and gave me a hard shove with its head that knocked me off my feet! Every time I tried to get up it became agitated. It was reluctant to leave until DH and some other walkers chased it off so that I could get off the ground. There were no dogs around, or calves with the herd, so I don’t know what triggered it. DH said it was my red socks🙄! This is a very well known path leading to one of the gritstone edges; I have been walking there since I was young and cattle are a fairly recent phenomenon.

I do not agree with dehorning the cattle. I believe we should start by educating visitors - I live in the country side and have unfortunately witnessed some very upsetting scenes when people have allowed their dogs off lead around sheep and it is horrendous. I do not feel that this is ever deliberate, just sheer ignorance. So please don't let your dog off near any livestock - ever. My dog is so used to livestock living near a farm however as much as I trust her I would never let her off the lead where livestock are grazing. If you want to give your dogs some space to run use a long or retractable lead so you can reel them back if necessary. I am used to cattle having grown up with them however I would never enter a field with them - with or without my dog - I would rather take a long detour than risk it. Sorry to sound so preachy, however livestock worrying is happening more and more often. To see new born lamb run to the point of exhaustion and killed is just heartbreaking. Also to hear of people being killed or seriously injured by cows, just use commonsense and lets educate people so they can visit our wonderful countryside and enjoy it. And leave the animals alone....