The National Sheep Association is launching a campaign next week to promote responsible dog ownership as cases of sheep worrying continue to rise at an alarming rate.
As sheep worrying cases continue to be publicised, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is asking dog owners, together with the farming community, to unite in spreading positive messages on enjoying the British countryside responsibly.
Thanks to an increasingly social media savvy population, horrific cases of sheep worrying by dogs continue to be well-documented online.
And with the potential to reach thousands, the NSA say it serves as a powerful tool in highlighting the damage attacks cause.
In March alone, two out-of-control dogs savaged twelve sheep on a Hertfordshire farm, one sheep died in Sussex due to severe bite injuries, two dogs attacked and seriously injured sheep, killing one newly-born lamb in Dorset, a dog attacked pregnant ewes in the Scottish Borders and a dog attacked and killed five sheep in Aberdeenshire.
Katie James, NSA Communications Support Officer, say sheep worrying by dogs is a "very serious problem" for farmers "which isn’t going away."
Ms James said: “The NSA continues to hear of a frustratingly high number of dog attacks on livestock.
“We do not want to discourage dog owners from enjoying the beautiful landscapes in Britain, only to do so responsibly and consider the impact an attack can have on farmers business and livelihood as well as animal welfare.”
Targeted campaign
With the clocks going forward marking the ‘official’ start of British summertime, Sunday 25th March will mark the start of NSA’s week-long, targeted campaign.
By spreading graphics, case studies and statistics, NSA is aiming to unite messages on promoting responsible dog ownership across Facebook and Twitter.
Ms James continues: “With the long-awaited arrival of spring, farmers can see an increase in walkers on footpaths through and around fields.
“And at a time when ewes are heavily pregnant or have young lambs at foot, the risk of dogs chasing livestock can also increase the risk of serious problems like ewes aborting or lambs becoming separated from their mothers.
“With the power of social media, we are hoping this campaign can go some way to raise awareness of the problem and ultimately help to reduce the amount of sheep worrying cases we hear about at the NSA.”
