Farmers want action to tackle dog attacks on livestock

Farmers have seen an increase in the number of attacks on sheep, goats and cattle

Farmers in East Sussex are calling for action to tackle an increase in dog attacks on livestock.

Land owners say the number of attacks on sheep, goats and cattle have risen in the last year.

In the latest incident, a sheep was killed by a dog in a grazing enclosure in Ashdown Forest on Friday.

Farm owner Annie Brown, who lives on the South Downs, near Shoreham, wants a licencing system for dog walkers.

A sheep was killed in a dog attack in Ashdown Forest on Friday

Ms Brown said dog owners were often “mortified” that their pets were capable of attacking livestock.

“We’ve had two incidences where dogs have escaped from their homes and their gardens, and come and savaged sheep without anybody walking them,” she told BBC Radio Sussex.

“And sadly, once a dog has had a flavour of blood, we fear it will happen again.”

She said a licence for professional dog walkers would help dog owners understand what they were signing up for and help land owners manage the aftermath better.

“You could set up a register with a small fee, but I think in the grand scheme of things, it would be a good solution for everybody.”

An RSPCA spokeswoman said many dog owners are unaware that it is lawful for farmers to shoot a dog to protect livestock.

“Owners can also face a police prosecution if their dog is caught worrying livestock,” she said.

“Even if you think your dog is placid and friendly, when faced with a field full of animals they can be unpredictable. It’s simply not worth taking the risk.”

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) says livestock worrying includes barking, chasing, biting and killing.

'The norm'

Ben Carr, who runs Ovingdean Grange Farm, backed the calls for a dog walkers licence, stating that dog attacks had got worse and more frequent since the pandemic.

“It’s becoming the norm,” he said. “Everyone decided to get a dog, but they weren’t really sure what they were signing up to.

"It is becoming a real problem for all farmers on the South Downs."

New forensic technology is being tested in Kent as part of research to help identify dogs involved in livestock attacks.

Ten police forces in England and Wales are involved, and hoping the research project will improve the collection of offending dog DNA gathered from attacked livestock.

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