The NFU and Cheshire Police have urged dog owners to keep control of their pets in the countryside following a rise in attacks on sheep.
The increase is believed to be, in part, down to a surge in dog ownership during the coronavirus lockdown.
As the lambing season gets under way, the NFU and police officers are working together to urge pet owners to follow the countryside code and ensure their dogs are kept under control.
The most recent NFU Mutual data showed that, nationally, the claims costs of dog attacks on farm animals rose to more than £2.4 million in 2023 – a 30% increase compared to the previous year.
Cheshire farmers are also reporting a significant rise in incidents – including a very serious case we reported, when farmer Roger Egglestone of Smithy Farm on Buxton Road, Congleton, lost 19 sheep.
Twelve of his sheep were killed and a further seven or eight likely to have been “mortally wounded” in one attack and only days later, three more of his flock were mauled were killed while a further 10 suffered serious injuries. Some sheep appeared to have drowned in the canal as they attempted to escape from the dogs. The attack, the fifth on his flock in 10 years, cost Mr Egglestone around £4,000. He had lost around 40 sheep to dog attacks over the last decadem, he said.
He said at the time: “I’m not keen on shooting dogs – but I’m not keen on shooting sheep either. I feel sorry for the dogs really, it’s only instinct. It’s down to ownership.
“Hopefully it will send a little message out to anybody else about sheep worrying really.
Everybody assumes their dog would never do it, but I think every dog is capable of doing it.”
NFU member Nigel Potts, who runs a sheep farm near Macclesfield, lost a number of sheep in two attacks.
He said: “There was a big rise in dog ownership in lockdown and many people don’t understand what can happen in the countryside when they don’t have control of their dogs.
Sadly, the situation has been getting worse.
“It has a financial impact on the business, but the animal welfare issue is the main concern.”
“It is really awful to see the animals suffer in this way and it is upsetting for the pet owners who just didn’t expect their dog was capable of such things.”
Livestock worrying includes barking, chasing, biting and killing and is a criminal offence.
Dog owners could be liable for prosecution or a fine under the Animals Act 1971 and incidents can cause anxiety, miscarriage and terrible injuries among flock.
The NFU and its members have campaigned to tighten the legislation around livestock worrying and Aphra Brandreth, Chester South and Eddisbury MP, presented The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (No2) Bill last year.
This was welcomed by the NFU and aims to give the police greater powers to deal with problem dogs and respond to livestock worrying more effectively.
If passed, the Bill would also broaden the scope of legislation to incorporate livestock such as alpacas and llamas, as well as widening the enforcement area to include roads and paths.
Mr Potts added: “At this time of year many ewes are lambing, and these sheep and offspring are highly vulnerable, and we have an individual and community responsibility to ensure that we all get to enjoy our countryside without causing distress and harm to livestock.”
