‘Your dog’ warning as new legislation comes into force
With lambing season just around the corner, Argyll farmers have welcomed a new, stricter livestock worrying bill.
Farmers and residents met with police officers, vets, representatives from Argyll and Bute Council and the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), Emma Harper MSP and Jenny Minto MSP at Carloonan Farm, Inveraray, last Friday to raise awareness of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021.
The new bill, brought forward by Ms Harper MSP, will significantly increase the powers of investigation and penalties to tackle the ongoing problem of dog attacks on livestock, for which pet owners can now face a fine up to £40,000, disqualification from owning a dog or 12 months' imprisonment.
The legislation also now covers a wider range of animals, with livestock meaning cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, camelids, ostriches, farmed deer, enclosed game birds or poultry.
Simply having a dog off a lead in a field containing livestock could now see owners face these increased penalties.
Detective Chief Inspector Douglas Wilson, who chairs the local Partnership Against Rural Crime (PARC) group, said: ‘The cost to livestock owners is often high, both financially and emotionally, and such attacks are easily avoidable by dog owners acting responsibly around livestock.
‘Most attacks that we have seen locally involve people allowing their dog to be off the lead in a field with livestock without consideration to the consequences.
‘Even the most well trained dog can revert to the basic instinct of chase.
‘This stress alone can cause pregnant sheep to abort their young.
‘Our message is clear: it's your dog, and it's your responsibility.
‘Don't allow your dog to approach animals or people uninvited and, where possible, avoid anywhere there is livestock.
‘Always keep your dog in sight and under proper control, ideally using a lead.'
Ms Harper MSP added: ‘Attacks on livestock by out-ofcontrol dogs can have a serious emotional and financial impact on farmers.
‘My key message to all dog owners is to please ensure you are being responsible when in countryside and near livestock. Keep your dog under close control and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.'
The Argyll livestock worrying awareness event was timed to coincide with the beginning of lambing season, when sheep and lambs are most vulnerable to attacks.
It forms part of the wider rural crime prevention work ongoing through the local PARC group which aims to educate people on this type of offence and help protect those at risk of other forms of rural crime that can impact on residents of Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire.