Cumbria Police is renewing its plea to dog owners to keep their dogs under control when walking in the countryside.
So far this year there have already been 33 incidents of sheep worrying – which includes attacking or chasing livestock - and 9 in April alone.
These incidents have taken place right across the county including in Ainstable, Ambleside, Cleator Moor, Kirkby Lonsdale and Roweltown.
It is an offence to allow a dog to worry livestock and in some circumstances landowners have a defence in law to shoot dogs that are endangering their livestock.
Police have the power to seize a dog to prevent worrying, and an owner can be fined up to £1,000 for the offence.
'Frustrating and sad'
Wildlife Officer Sarah Rolland said it is a 'very serious' issue can lead to 'significant consequences' for sheep and therefore farmers, who depend on these animals for their income.
“It is frustrating and sad to see that this keeps happening, when it is so easily prevented.
“Owners are urged to simply keep their dogs under control and on a lead, and just because a field may be empty one day, it does not mean that it will not be full of animals the next. Always exercise caution.
“A dog does not have to physically attack livestock to cause harm – even chasing them can cause distress and easily cause a pregnant sheep to miscarry lambs.
“Owners must also remember that farmers are within their rights to shoot a dog that is worrying sheep on their land, and this will obviously cause huge distress."
Notable incidents
Dog owners have been urged to keep their pets under control around livestock as the lambing season reaches its peak.
In the past couple of weeks, two farmers have shot dead loose dogs. 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.
On 2 May, it was reported that out of control dogs massacred thirty lambs on-farm in Wales, prompting the farmer to share a picture of the incident as a warning to others.
