A farmer in West Yorkshire has shot and killed an out-of-control dog after it savaged six of his lambs, police have confirmed.
The Hebden Bridge farmer shot the loose dog following a livestock worrying incident on Wednesday last week (21 April).
Six lambs had already been killed by the dog before the farmer intervened to prevent further loss of life.
By law, dogs must be controlled so that they do not scare or disturb livestock or wildlife.
Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, if a dog worries sheep on agricultural land, the person in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence.
Farmers are legally allowed to shoot dogs that are worrying their livestock as long as they hold a valid firearms licence.
The National Sheep Association says it recommends that farmers only shoot dogs as a last resort, as the legality of a shooting depends on whether a farmer had a lawful excuse for shooting the dog in that individual circumstance.
It comes as figures show that the cost of dog attacks on livestock increased by over 10% to £1.3m last year as the pandemic saw a surge in people visiting the countryside.
Anyone with any information on the Hebden Bridge attack have been told to contact West Yorkshire Police with reference number 13210196782.
