Difficult scene is recalled by vet
Vet Hannah Mckerrow has spoken of the“heart-stopping”call she had with Stuart Mcdougall following the savage dog attack.
The director at 3 Bridges Vets in Dunfermline was the first medical aid on the scene and sadly had to put down 11 injured lambs.
Ms Mckerrow has dealt with similar incidents before and says the coming days will reveal the full extent of the loss of life.
”It is not the first time I have dealt with a dog attack,”she said.“after it happened, many of the lambs were running on adrenaline and had life-ending injuries but were still alive.
“I think it is really tough for Stuart and his family and they were obviously devastated.
“It is a heart-stopping call when it is a dog attack because you know it is going to be [difficult] when you get there.
“I have been to Stuart back and forward a few times since.
“The dog was loose in a field with lambs only days old so it targeted them. The older ewes have been hounded round and even if they are not injured they can abort their lambs.
“We won’t feel the full impact now for at least a few days.”
It comes following a spate of sheep-worrying incidents in the region with lambing season having begun.
As well as the Blairadam Estate attack, Auchterarder sheep farmer Grace Reid (28) was left horrified last month after a dog got into her field, raced after a flock of 93 pregnant ewes and bit one on the neck, before the canine and its owner fled.
A neighbour filmed a brown dog yelping in excitement at Woodside Farm as it ran through the flock scattering the stressed sheep.
She feared a number of ewes could miscarry due to trauma of the hounding incident.
In another recent incident near Crook of Devon, a 21-year-old man will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal for failing to keep control of his dogs and allowing them to worry sheep in a field.
Local area commander Chief Inspector Tom Leonard warned dog owners that they could face prosecution or their dogs could even be killed if they do not abide by sheep-worrying laws.
He urged walkers to keep pets on a lead when near livestock or farmland.
Katie Mccandless-thomas of dog welfare groups Dog Friendly Perthshire and Missing Pets, Perth and Kinross was“lost for words”upon hearing of the 17 lambs killed.
She added:“sheep worrying by dogs is extremely serious and the past couple of weeks I have seen numerous posts by farmers and concerned members of the public of off lead dogs in fields with livestock or even chasing deer.”