Dog owners ‘should face tougher penalties for livestock attacks’

Calls have been made for reckless dog owners to face tougher penalties when their pets attack livestock.

New figures released by the Conservatives show that the largest fine handed out was just £500.

Across the country, the number of livestock worrying offences has more than doubled in the past decade.

In 2007-08, there were 81 offences but a decade later, this doubled to 170, although this was a slight decrease on the previous year.

In October, an Angus farmer suffered a significant loss to his flock of pedigree Beltex ewe lambs following a dog attack which left seven injured and one dead.

North East MSP Peter Chapman has spoken in support of the Take A Lead campaign which called for legislative changes.

In the summer, Emma Harper MSP, the parliamentary liaison officer to cabinet secretary for the rural economy Fergus Ewing, said she planned to bring forward a private member’s bill to tackle the issue.

However, Mr Chapman believes existing legislation could be strengthened while farmers are “waiting patiently” for the bill to appear.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Sentencing in any given case is a matter for the independent court.

“With that in mind, we have commissioned new research into the impact of dog attacks and predation by wildlife on farmed sheep, along with new ways to prevent this.

“It is already an offence for a dog owner to allow their animal to worry livestock and local authorities have the power to issue dog control notices.”