Warning posters urging the public to keep their dogs under control will be displayed on a North Yorkshire farm following a deadly livestock worrying incident.
‘Dogs kill livestock’ warning posters will be displayed in the Fairburn area of Selby after two sheep were attacked there.
Sometime between 2pm on Friday 24 and 8am on Saturday 25 July, two sheep were injured in a suspected dog attack.
They were found by the farmer on Saturday morning. They survived, but required medication from a vet.
In a separate incident earlier this month, on 12 July, a lamb was attacked on land near Thruscross Reservoir, Harrogate.
Writing on Facebook, the farmer said: “Sadly the lamb in question passed away yesterday. Please think of how your actions affect others. Dog attacks are devastating to farmers.”
Police are concerned that as coronavirus restrictions are lifted, more people will travel to the countryside and walking their dogs around sheep without enough care.
In 2018, North Yorkshire Police contributed to an expert report by the National Police Chiefs’ Council Livestock Worrying Police Working Group.
Their research found that about one in ten of livestock attacks involve repeat offenders – owners whose dog had worried or caused damage to livestock before.
Estimates by NFU Mutual suggest livestock attacks nationally cost farmers £1.2m in 2019.
Inspector Matt Hagen, of North Yorkshire Police's Rural Taskforce, said: “It’s very important that dogs are kept securely when at home, and on leads and under control when walking near sheep fields.”
