Should I save a sheep in distress?
Q Sheep are prolific in the hills. If I find a sick or injured bleater, what should I do? Who should I tell? Joan Crosby, Warrington
Jeremy says Sheep farming, despite our romantic view of it, is a business and sheep are a commodity. The majority of farms pursue good husbandry practices and are considerate about animal welfare, but some are not. If you come across a sheep in distress, carefully consider how you react. If it’s stuck on its back, gently right it and wait a while to see how it reacts. If the animal is clearly sick or injured you have two options – either inform the farmer or contact the RSPCA.
The first issue with contacting the farmer is establishing who owns the animal and then locating their premises. Most sheep we see on open mountain and moorland grazing are there through commoners’ rights. They are often of mixed ownership and from different farms in the surrounding area. If you opt to inform the farmer, the easiest thing to do is contact the farm closest to the road you embarked from and let them know both the location and any coloured markings on the fleece. Odds-on, by the markings you describe, the farmer will know whose sheep it is and how to contact them.
The second option, and the safest, particularly if you consider the animal to be suffering because of welfare issues, is to contact the RSPCA. One way to establish if this is the case is to look at other stock grazing close by – if they appear to be in poor condition, then it’s probably best to go straight to the RSPCA.
Whichever option you choose, make an accurate note of the time, location and take a photo.