Cotswold farmer shoots dog dead after it injures sheep and kills lamb

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 ensures criminal damage to the owner of the dog if it worries sheep
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 ensures criminal damage to the owner of the dog if it worries sheep

A farmer has had no choice but to shoot a dog dead after it ran loose on farmland and attacked sheep.

The Cotswolds farmer shot the Husky dead on Monday (26 March) after it chased and attacked dozens of sheep, killing one lamb in the process.

According to Gloucestershire police, the farmer tried to catch the large dog first but failed to do so.

The farmer had no other option left but to shoot the dog.

The dog's owner has since apologised to the farmer for the ordeal, and arrangements have been made to compensate him for the loss of his lamb.

Wildlife Crime Officer Ashley Weller, based in the Cotswolds said: “Every year farmers suffer the consequences of irresponsible dog owners, with many of their sheep being attacked and killed or losing their unborn young.

“Once again we are appealing to all dog owners to keep their pets on leads when they are near any livestock, no matter how much you trust them. This is for your own sake as well as the farm animals.

“It is an offence to allow your dog to worry livestock and farmers have legal rights, under certain conditions, to shoot the dog if they feel the livestock is in danger.

“In Monday's incident the farmer did everything he could to try and catch the dog, but as a last resort had no choice but to shoot it to prevent more of his flock being killed. There is still a strong possibility the pregnant ewes will miscarry over the next few days.

“Anyone identified letting their dog off the lead resulting in an attack or worrying incident will be dealt with by the police and compensation will be sought for the farmer.”

Previous cases

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, if a dog worries sheep on agricultural land, the person in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence.

The Act considers sheep worrying to include attacking sheep, chasing them in a way that may cause injury, suffering, abortion or loss of produce or being at large in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.

To protect their livestock, the farmer has the right to kill the offending dog.

A Welsh farmer shot a dog dead which ran havoc on his land and savaged six of his sheep last summer.

And in June last year, a Wiltshire farmer shot dead a dog which ran havoc and savaged two of his sheep. The farmer said the whole incident had been 'deeply upsetting'.

A further two farmers shot dead loose dogs attacking their livestock in 2017. A farmer from Aberdeenshire shot dead a dog which killed two of his sheep, and a farmer from Fife shot dead a loose dog which attacked his livestock.

A farmer from Hertfordshire said due to the recent rises in sheep worrying cases, he said that he won't 'hesitate in shooting in future'.