Dog walking app adds sheep alerts to help prevent attacks

Dog walkers using countryside routes will receive new livestock alerts through BudApp as part of a drive to reduce sheep worrying incidents.

The National Sheep Association is working with the dog walking app to improve awareness of sheep on walking routes and encourage responsible dog ownership in rural areas.

Sheep worrying can cause serious injury, death and miscarriages in pregnant ewes, as well as major financial and emotional pressure for farming families.

The NSA said even dogs that are usually well behaved can instinctively chase sheep, with lambs and adult sheep at risk of severe injury or being killed.

Despite greater public awareness, sheep worrying incidents continue to be reported across the UK.

Through the partnership, BudApp will show livestock information cards on walks where sheep have been identified as present. The app will also allow farmers and landowners to flag livestock locations and indicate preferred access routes, helping walkers make better decisions while respecting working farmland.

BudApp has also created a Responsible Dog Walking resource in collaboration with the NSA, providing guidance on countryside access, livestock safety and the responsibilities of dog owners when walking near farm animals.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said most dog owners wanted to behave responsibly, but did not always understand the impact their pets could have on livestock.

He said: “Most dog owners want to do the right thing, but they may not always realise the impact their dog’s behaviour can have on livestock.”

Mr Stocker said the partnership would help ensure walkers received practical information at the right time and place.

He added: “By working with BudApp, we’re helping to ensure walkers receive practical information exactly when and where they need it.”

He said better awareness could help reduce sheep worrying incidents and improve relationships between farmers and countryside users.

BudApp founder Christian Jones said many dog walkers were unaware of livestock until it was too late.

He said: “Dog walkers don’t set out to cause harm - most just don’t know livestock are there until it’s too late.”

Mr Jones said the app would give users information at the point they make decisions about their route.

He added: “Our goal is to make countryside walks safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for everyone - including the farmers who care for the land and animals that make those walks so special.”

As part of the project, BudApp has produced an animated explainer video showing how farmers can flag sheep on public footpaths and record preferred walking routes across their land.

The NSA is urging sheep farmers to use available tools to help alert walkers to livestock and reduce the risk of attacks.

It said initiatives that promote responsible dog ownership and safer countryside access could play an important role in reducing sheep worrying incidents.