Sheep worrying by dogs

Dyfed Powys Police have in the last three weeks received several calls relating to the worrying of sheep by dogs.

Dyfed Powys Police have in the last three weeks received several calls relating to the worrying of sheep by dogs. Incidents have resulted in sheep being killed, from only one or two to 35 in one case. Not all incidents have involved dogs being violent and attacking sheep but merely ‘playing’ with them. Other incidents have however involved dogs cornering sheep into a corner of a field and attacking them, causing severe and fatal injuries.

Sergeant Matthew Howells, who represents the force on rural and wildlife matters said, “We have received several calls over recent weeks of sheep being worried and killed by dogs. The most recent case was at a farm in Tylwch, Llanidloes where dogs had been worrying a flock of sheep resulting in 35 Welsh Mule ewes drowning in the ditch at the bottom of a field.

Local residents had heard dogs barking in the middle of the night and it is believed that they had been ‘playing’ with the sheep and herded them towards the ditch resulting in the sheep suffocating each other in an attempt to escape. Another incident in Ceredigion this month involved two dogs being shot dead by a farmer after coming across them attacking sheep in a field. Four sheep had been killed by the dogs in this case. There have also been incidents in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

“Dog owners and those in charge of dogs have a responsibility to ensure that their animals do not worry livestock. It is an offence under section 1 of The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 for the owner or the person in charge of a dog if that dog worries livestock on agricultural land. This offence can attract a maximum fine of £1,000.

Farmers who witness dogs worrying livestock, act within the law if they kill or cause injury to a dog if it is done so to protect livestock but they also need to notify the officer in charge of a police station (i.e. their local police) of the killing within 48 hours. (Section 9 of The Animals Act 1971)

“I would urge dog owners and especially those that live in rural areas to check their kennel security and to ensure that dogs are kept on a lead when walking in areas where livestock are kept. The destruction caused which can have a heavy financial implication on the livestock owner and the dog owner, is unnecessary and can be avoided. The 35 sheep as described above were heavy in lamb, all with twins, the loss to the farmer being thousands of pounds.”