Electric Fence Liabilities

[RMEADOWS]

I have 20 acres and want to put up a hot wire around the propety. I have barbed wire and want to keep the horses off of it. I also want to cross fence with 1 1/2" tape so I can have a semi-perm fence. I will want to move it as figure out the best way to lay out the pasture and woods.

I live is a mostly rual are. East is a street, no sidewalk, west, 80 acres of pasture, north 2-5 arces horse properties and south a church.

The church has is surrunded by horses on three sides and the street. The church has brought to my attention that they do not like the fact I am fencing witih electric.

I have signs and the hot wire is on 5" insulators. Any idea what my liability is. Di I need to put up a second fence. I have thought about approaching them to split the cost of replacing the barbed with feild fencing...

Any thoughts would be great.

 

[Glenn9643]

You mentioned replacing the barbed wire with field fencing. Is that what we call "net wire" fence, or something of that nature? The first thing that comes to mind when I think of that is all the vines that will grow into it around here, and you probably have that problem in your area too. A net wire fencerow in the south is a problem to keep clean.

 

[reb]

Your liability is probably whatever some lawyer might dream up in the unlikely case that anyone were injured by or near your fence. Our judicial (note I did not say "justice") system is screwed up. Note that the lawyers are going after Boeing and the airlines in the twin towers case.

reb

 

[DKinWA]

I've only got about 600 feet of field fence, but when I put it up, I kept the bottom wire about 5-6 inches off the ground. Now I can walk around with the weed eater under the bottom wire and knock everything down that is trying to grow into the fence.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Wont you be running the electric on the inside of the existing fence ? or do you mean to add to it ? You might consider running the electric inside around the church just to be a nice guy. You know how kids are. I dont feel you have any additional liability over any other fence unless you are running super high voltage. A electric fence is the norm. Just as you can not sue a restaurant for bones in fish or pits in fruit that has pits. Some one might try but I doubt they would get far. Especially if you work with those voiceing concerns. Dave

 

[ejb]

What is it that the church doesn't like? The outside chance that someone gets a shock (its not so bad, done it 100 times myself /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif...or is it just the fact they think they are ugly? Not knowing anything about the situation, I suspect it could be the later...if thats the case, i.e. they don't like the look, my answer would be "too bad"...on the other hand, if they are worried about someone getting hurt, perhaps a quick demonstration about how bad a shock really is..seriously...bring them over, and grab the fence...it'll give you a shock, but my guess is that not many people have been seriously injured by an electric fence without some extenuating circumstance (yes, once when standing in 6 inches of water I did manage to hold the ground wire in one hand and the hot wire in the other and woke up on the ground a split seconds later ...ouch) but besides that, my 3, 5 and 7 year olds have all touched the fence, only only the 3 year old cried (the 5 year old grabs it to see if its on..he is a boy).

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The only liability I can imagine would be your fence not keeping an animal in and that animal doing damage to another's property, ie your cow gets out because you didn't maintain the fence and is involved in a traffic accident.

I assume you're using a common hot wire set up for keeping in livestock, or in your case, out. No one in this day and time uses a.c. current for a fear barrier, do they?

As for the church, surely the shepard can educate his flock, even the ninnies that don't understand an electric fence isn't an electric fence.

 

[ejb]

>>ie your cow gets out because you didn't maintain the fence and is involved in a traffic accident

Anyone had this happen with any animal? I do worry about that with my animals...i.e. if they got out and got hit by a car and got killed, I'd feel a little bad for the critter, but I'd really fear the wolves more(lawyers) if the drive or passenger got injured...wondering if anyone knows of any cases like this and what the ultimate resolutions hasve been?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

All I've heard is the old knowing someone who knew someone etc. But it seems to me that common sense says that your animal is your responsibility. If you fail to maintain your fence and the animal causes an accident you should be held liable.

 

[riptides]

So the church does not mind the barbed wire? But they have thoughts on electic? How do they know it is "on"?

How close is the fence to the church?

How much property between the fence and church?

How much property between the church and your land?

Perhaps someone in the church is just saying they like the open space and will miss the view?

So many questions for you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
-Mike Z.