United bid to beat ‘plague’ of dog attacks on sheep
An Easter call to dog-walkers heading for the countryside over the holiday weekend to take extra care during lambing time has been backed by top dog organisation, the Kennel Club.
With the marked increase in the number of cases of dogs chasing and worrying sheep – described as a “plague”– rural organisations have come together to support an online video by Quality Meat Scotland which will be aired on social media this weekend.
The film, first launched last year, features powerful, first-hand accounts of sheep worrying from Aberdeenshire farmer John Fyall, the chairman of NSA Scotland, vet David Mclaren, of Kirkton Veterinary Centre, Stonehaven, and Gill Macgregor, Scottish SPCA senior inspector.
The campaign follows a similarly-themed radio initiative by Scottish Natural Heritage and compliments the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) livestock worrying campaign.
Kathy Peebles, NSA Scotland vice-chairman, said: “For farmers, as well as lost income, it is heart-breaking to witness horrendous injuries in the sheep they work hard to look after.
“For pregnant ewes, the result of being hounded by dogs can be miscarriage of unborn lambs and for ewes with young lambs at foot the result can be offspring getting separated from ewes and dying of hypothermia or starvation.”
Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: “Repeatedly allowing a dog to stray is a clear sign of irresponsible ownership; it needlessly puts dogs’ lives at risk, as well as farm animals and wildlife. We encourage the responsible majority of dog owners to support local councils in targeting the irresponsible minority at an early stage using Dog Control Notices.”
Inspector Jane Donaldson, Police Scotland’s Rural Crime Co-ordinator, added: “Police Scotland recognises that the worrying of livestock can have devastating consequences for farm animals and has an obvious financial and emotional impact on farmers particularly during the spring lambing period.
“Farmers and those who use the countryside are urged to report all incidents of livestock worrying to police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
NFU Scotland vice president Martin Kennedy, who has had five dog attacks on his sheep in 15 years resulting in the death and injury of animals, said he was only one of a growing number of Scottish livestock keepers affected by dog attacks on their stock.
“All dog owners need to take their responsibilities seriously and we need legislative changes and proper enforcement to drive a change in attitudes,” he said.
He added that farmers’ commitment to the welfare of their stock should be matched by all dog owners.