Dog Owner Calls For Action on Dangerous Barbed Wire

Published on: 26 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 27 Nov, 2018

Razor wire next to the Burgess Way footpath

Guildford resident and Dragon writer Alice Fowler has called for action against barbed wire fences after her dog was badly cut while out for a walk. Her dog, a lurcher named Amber, needed stitches after running into an abandoned section of fence.

Alice says: “The fence that injured Amber wasn’t serving any purpose, it had simply been forgotten. Fences like this, unfortunately, are all too common. Many have fallen down and are covered in vegetation and almost impossible to see. Any dog, horse, child or wild animal such as a deer that gets caught in them risks being badly injured.”

Amber suffered cuts to her shoulder and inner thigh. ‘Our vet told us the wire had just missed a major artery. If that had been severed, she would probably have bled to death.’

Wounds caused by Amber’s encounter with barbed wire near Guildford.

The accident happened on the footpath that runs from Tyting Farm to White Lane, on a broken barbed wire fence beside the path.

Catherine Hannah of the Cape Veterinary Clinic in Merrow, who treated Amber, says: “Barbed wire is a common cause of superficial injuries in dogs. We see approximately two cases per month at the clinic. Injuries can range from minor skin lacerations, to deeper damage involving major vessels and muscles.

“Even if the wounds look small, barbed wire injuries can expose your pet to infection as quite often they are contaminated with dirt and bacteria. These injuries require thorough cleaning and suturing.”

Rusty barbed wire, at ground level, near Tyting Farm.

A survey of local footpaths found alarming amounts of both barbed wire and razor wire alongside Burgess Way (see top photo), the footpath that links Pewley Down with Longdown Road.

“I was horrified to see so much of these dangerous wires, alongside about 50 metres of the path,” says Alice. “This looks like fairly new wire which is not attached to posts but has just been left there. Anyone walking, running or cycling could easily get tangled in it, let alone dogs or wild animals.”

Barbed wire with animal hair – probably Amber’s – still attached

With Dragon readers’ help, Alice hopes to establish a local database of barbed wire danger spots.

“I also have a lot of questions,’ she says. ‘What can you do if, like me, you are aware of a section of disused barbed wire fence? How do you find the landowner? Is the landowner obliged to do anything about it? Can you do something yourself?”

Amber has recovered well from her injuries but a vet said one wound was close to an artery.

Happily Amber is recovering from her injuries well. “Amber is a rescue dog and already has quite a life story,’ Alice says. ‘She’s had a second chance at life. I’m concerned that she came close to losing that chance because of a forgotten piece of fence.”

“Sight hounds, greyhounds and lurchers, tend to have the most severe injuries, as they have very thin skin and little fat covering major structures,” confirms vet Catherine Hannah.

“These injuries can pose some serious threats to your pet, and we always recommend phoning your vet to have your pet assessed as soon as possible. If you are out on a walk and a wound is causing major bleeding, apply direct pressure to the wound and call your vet for advice.”

“This was a nasty experience and I want to stop other dogs and families suffering in a similar way,” says Alice. “I also wonder if there is a wider issue here. Does barbed wire have a place in 21st century Britain, when livestock can be controlled with other kinds of fencing? We still associate this stuff with World War One. What better way of marking 100 years since the end of that war than by stopping barbed wire production altogether?”

What do you think? Has your dog been injured by barbed wire? Do you know of dangerous fallen fences? Do you think barbed wire performs an essential function? Let us know below.

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