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By Barrie Hudson – 13 February 2025
CommunityCrime
Wiltshire Police are reminding dog owners to be responsible and keep their animals on a lead while near livestock.
The advice has been issued in a bid to avoid attacks on sheep during lambing season.
The force says it has received numerous reports of dogs off leads and chasing sheep on farmland. I
In one recent incident a sheep was bitten by a dog, another ewe aborted her lambs, and a flock had to be rescued from a stream.
Insp Andy Lemon, from the Rural Crime Team said: “Dog owners are reminded that they are responsible for their dogs at all times and allowing them out of sight to roam does not negate your responsibility for your pets.
“Offences are being committed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the Protection of Livestock Act and incidents of this nature are taken seriously, particularly at this time of year when many sheep are in lamb and due to give birth to young at any moment.
“Please be mindful of your dog escaping or being out of sight around livestock.”
Anybody who sees a dog worrying or attacking livestock should call 999, report online at https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/ro/report/rwc/rural/report-rural-crime/ or call 101 after an occurrence.
Further information can be found here.
The force says it has received numerous reports of dogs off leads and chasing sheep on farmland. I
In one recent incident a sheep was bitten by a dog, another ewe aborted her lambs, and a flock had to be rescued from a stream.
Insp Andy Lemon, from the Rural Crime Team said: “Dog owners are reminded that they are responsible for their dogs at all times and allowing them out of sight to roam does not negate your responsibility for your pets.
“Offences are being committed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the Protection of Livestock Act and incidents of this nature are taken seriously, particularly at this time of year when many sheep are in lamb and due to give birth to young at any moment.
“Please be mindful of your dog escaping or being out of sight around livestock.”
Anybody who sees a dog worrying or attacking livestock should call 999, report online at https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/ro/report/rwc/rural/report-rural-crime/ or call 101 after an occurrence.
Further information can be found here.
