Farmers and rural businesses are "severely impacted" by the "long-lasting" effects of livestock worrying, a parliamentary committee heard.
The NFU raised the impacts farmers face when they experience livestock worrying to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee inquiry on dangerous dogs.
NFU Deputy President Guy Smith told the committee that attacks on livestock can disrupt decades of careful breeding and is often extremely difficult for a farm to recover from an attack.
Figures from NFU Mutual show that attacks on farm livestock by out of control dogs cost UK agriculture £1.6million last year, with claims figures showing a 67% cost increase for dog attacks on livestock from 2015 to 2017.
Scotland, the Midlands and the south west of England are the three most affected parts of the UK by cost.
A lack of evidence means the true extent of dog attacks on livestock is not known, but Sheep Watch UK estimate that dog attacks kill 15,000 sheep in the UK every year.
'Extremely distressing'
Commenting on his evidence, Mr Smith said that livestock attacks can be "extremely distressing" and often leave livestock with particularly graphic injuries and mortalities.
“The remote and vulnerable nature of farms only amplifies the emotional impact of an attack,” Mr Smith said.
“The effects can be long-lasting and it is not just the initial financial loss from the lost stock, but it can also have a serious and lengthy impact on a farming business due to the significant disruption caused.
He added: “This was an important opportunity to raise this issue with MPs and stress that there needs to be consistency across police forces and local authorities in their approach to enforcing dog control legislation.”
Low prosecutions
The NFU has called for a more "co-ordinated and consistent approach" to tackle the issue, and for more successful prosecutions. A recent NPCC report highlighted that successful prosecution rates were extremely low.
There is currently no formal requirement for police to record livestock attacks, resulting in a lack of accurate figures that reveals the true extent of livestock attacks.
The NFU said it would welcome a formal requirement for police forces to record all livestock attacks.”
The NFU sits on the National Police Chiefs Council delivery group for Livestock Offences.
It has also worked closely with the Kennel Club to produce footpath signs which raise awareness of the issue to the public and encourage responsible behaviour with dog walkers.
