Friendly hand reared pet sheep have tragically been attacked and killed on farmland at Hollingbourne Hill yesterday.
The farmland has a public footpath that runs through the land, however the sheep, who had been hand reared were very friendly and used to being close to humans and animals.
The dog owners have not come forward and if you have any information on the incident then please do contact the Parish Council.
It is an offence to allow a dog to worry sheep. In some circumstances, farmers are legally entitled to shoot dogs if they are endangering their sheep.
It is every dog’s instinct to chase, even if they are usually obedient and good with other animals however chasing by dogs can do serious damage to sheep, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die and pregnant ewes to miscarry their lambs.
Dogs chasing ewes and lambs can cause mis-mothering issues, with lambs dying from starvation or hypothermia when they become separated from their mother and fail to find her again.
Dog bites can cause death in sheep or necessitate them being put down at a later date.
It is vital that you keep your dog on the lead around livestock, even if you can usually trust it to come to call. If you live in or near a farming area, you must make sure that your dog cannot escape from your property, as it may find its way onto land containing sheep.
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