Call for action on sheep worrying as horrific incidents kill livestock and cost of dog attacks hits record level

SHEEP worrying moved up the political agenda this week, as the latest meeting of the multi-agency

Scottish National Partnership Against Rural Crime was dominated by discussion of the problems out of control dogs inflict on farmers and crofters.

Following recent incidents in the Scottish Borders and Argyll, which saw dogs kill and inflict horrific injuries on sheep, the National Farmers Union Scotland used the SPARC meeting to express its frustration that, despite efforts to encourage restraint by dog walkers, these attacks continue with alarming frequency.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual recently revealed the cost of claims related to livestock worrying has reached a record level of £1.6 million in the UK, while the dog-attack cost on Scottish livestock reported to the firm had quadrupled in the last two years to top £50,000. With lambing under way, a campaign backed by NFUS, Police Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Land and Estates, National Sheep Association (Scotland) and the Kennel Club is already raising awareness among dog owners about the devastating effects of livestock worrying.

At yesterday’s SPARC meeting, which was attended by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity Fergus Ewing, the union’s legal and technical chairman Jamie Smart said: “The graphic images of dead and mauled sheep underlined that the impact of irresponsible dog ownership on farmers’ livelihoods cannot be underestimated.

“Local authorities are responsible for upholding access rights under the 2003 Act, but NFUS is not convinced this translates into the assistance required for farmers where things go wrong.”

NFUS plans to write to all local authorities to highlight the availability of dog control notices which, if breached, means problem dogs can be removed or destroyed.