Known as livestock worrying, dog attacks on farm animals can result in horrific and often fatal injuries. Even if a dog doesn’t make contact, the distress of a chase can cause sheep to miscarry their lambs and sometimes die from exhaustion.
Advice for dog owners:
- Always keep dogs on the lead when walking in rural areas where livestock are kept
- Be aware that even small lap dogs can attack and kill farm animals
- Take special care to keep close control of dogs unused to farm animals
- Report attacks by dogs and sightings of dogs roaming the countryside to local farmers or the police
- Don’t let dogs loose in gardens adjoining livestock fields – many attacks are caused by dogs which escape and attack sheep grazing nearby
Below is a conversation between Rob Taylor from North Wales Police rural crime team, Debs Roberts, a Scottish farmer and co-founder of ‘Ladies who Lamb’ and NFU Mutual farming specialist, David Harrison.