United Kingdom-More dog attacks on sheep.

UNITED KINGDOM-MORE SHEEP WORRYING.

TWO dogs will be put down, after a court ordered them to be destroyed because they killed or maimed more than 20 sheep.

North Somerset Magistrates’ Court heard how four sheep were killed and 20 others injured after the Wrington rampage.

The German shepherd bitches escaped from a compound in Gatecombe Farm Industrial Estate and set upon the flock of 58 sheep on December 3 last year.

One sheep died during the attack and three others were later put down because of their injuries. All four were pregnant with twin lambs.

It followed a similar incident in August 2007, when the same dogs attacked and killed a sheep in a nearby paddock.

Owner Anthony Smith, 60, of West Hay Road, pleaded guilty to not keeping his dogs under control near livestock.

He told magistrates the animals had escaped from their fenced compound through an unsecured door and had fled onto the farmer’s field.

He said: "It is the black dog which is the problem, the other one is fine and is used to working with sheep in farms in Wales.

"I’ve since re-homed the black dog to a trainer in Bristol because of her temperament."

Alison Cawse, prosecuting, said: "The farmer received a phone call and turned up at the field and saw two sheep cornered by the two dogs.

"The dogs were then brought under control, but 20 sheep were left injured and one was killed.

"There was another incident in 2007 when a sheep was attacked by the two dogs. That sheep also later died from its injuries."

Chairman of the bench Joye Yeates ordered the two dogs to be destroyed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and ordered Smith to pay £1,589 in fines and costs, including £1,164 compensation to sheep owner Ali Ledbury.

She said it was Smith’s responsibility to retrieve the re-homed dog, and get both animals destroyed within seven days.