Police forces are 'not responding effectively' to dog attacks on livestock, according to the National Sheep Association (NSA).
A new survey taken by sheep farmers across the UK showed there was 'no let-up' in the ongoing crime blighting rural areas.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said it is vital for dog owners to realise that any dog is capable of attacking livestock and the effects stretch far further than the obvious injuries.
The survey showed that 40% of dog attacks on sheep are carried out by straying or unaccompanied dogs.
It showed that 45% of farmers said dog attacks were causing a loss of production, most commonly abortion in ewes with a further 43% reported that sheep had to be put down in the months after an attack.
39% said sheep had experienced an injury from fleeing out of control dogs and 38% experienced a loss of production in lambs due to mis-mothering at a young age.
'Not responding effectively'
Police figures continue to highlight a rise in the number of reported dog attacks on sheep, but NSA believes the true extent of the problem is much higher.
Just 40% of survey respondents said they report every incident to the police, of which just 18% and 17% were given a crime reference number or crime incident number as a result. 10% of respondents rated police response as ‘very helpful’, but an equal 10% rated it as ‘unresponsive’.
Mr Stocker said: "If we're to build up an accurate picture of the true scale of the problem, it is vital that those who've experienced an attack on their livestock report it to the police and ask for a crime or incident number.
"We have to continue to put pressure on police forces to deal with this crime in a serious and consistent way and if they haven't the resources to do that then we need to help them build evidence that they are not keeping up with reported crimes.
"I am afraid that we are hearing of police forces that are making the right noises but still not responding effectively."
