Llamas and ostriches need legal shield from dog attacks

Police warn laws that protect farm animals fail to cover exotic livestock

LAWS protecting livestock from dog attacks are “outdated and ineffective” because they do not include popular exotic breeds such as llamas, alpacas and ostriches, say police.

Thousands of farm animals are attacked and killed each year by dogs. But while pet owners can be prosecuted for attacks on traditional livestock, such as sheep and cattle, the law does not cover more unusual animals.

With increasing numbers of farmers diversifying into exotic herds, such as alpacas, which are kept for their coats, and emus and ostriches, which are bred for their meat, the problem is becoming more urgent.

Experts believe the increasing number of incidents is down to ignorance on the part of dog owners, who do not realise their pets’ natural instinct is to chase livestock. While some animals can be killed outright in attacks, simply chasing livestock can also cause damage with stressed animals often miscarrying their young.

Recent figures from the All-party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, suggested at least 15,000 sheep were killed by dogs in 2016, at an estimated cost to the farming industry of £1.3million. But the laws intended to protect farmers and their animals have been described as out of date and in urgent need of review.

As well as not protecting some animals kept on farms, the police are also powerless to act against irresponsible dog owners if an attack takes place on public land. Officers are also unable to search someone’s home and seize a dog suspected of harming livestock, and kennel owners cannot be held responsible even if dogs escape from their premises.

Now police chiefs are calling for the current laws to be updated in order to offer more protection to farmers and their animals.

Chief Constable David Jones, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for wildlife and rural crime, said the latest data showed that livestock worrying was having a major impact on farmers’ incomes.

He said: “We need dog owners to take responsibility for their animals – not

‘We need owners to take responsibility – not just by putting their dogs on a lead’

just by putting their dogs on a lead when out walking, but by preventing them from escaping from home and causing damage to livestock. Above all, we need the powers to tackle this problem effectively and an overhaul of the outdated and sometimes ineffective rules surrounding livestock worrying.”

Tim Price, a rural affairs specialist with NFU Mutual, said the insurer had seen claims from farmers for lost alpacas, llamas, ostriches and wildfowl amounting to £10,000 in the past year.

He said: “These attacks can cause not only heartbreak but huge financial loss for farmers, and so it is perhaps understandable why there is so much tension between farmers and people who walk their dogs in the countryside.”

Lord Gardiner, the minister for animal welfare, said he would be looking at the recommendations made by the NPCC.