Farmer has to put nine sheep down after dog attack

Nine sheep at Mary Wales' farm in Gloucestershire had to be put down after the attack

A farmer has had to have nine of her sheep put down after a dog attacked them.

Mary Wales said some of her flock in Blakeney, Gloucestershire, lost ears in the attack and one was left with a "severe hole in the top of its head".

She said her partner had gone out to feed the sheep in the morning when he saw a dog chasing them around a field.

New NFU Mutual figures show farm animals in the south west of England worth an estimated £225,000 were severely injured or killed by dogs in 2024.

"He [Ms Wales' partner] was pulling one out of the brook and then he noticed the dog running loose in the fields," Ms Wales said.

"There was some trapped in brambles and the dog had then started chasing the group again across the farm.

"All of a sudden, he just disappeared and we didn't see him again."

Ms Wales said nine sheep were too badly injured to be saved.

She described the dog as the size of "a large Labrador" with a "big Rottweiler-type" head.

Jazz White said the stress of dog attacks can cause problems in pregnant ewes

In a survey of 1,136 dog owners, NFU Mutual found that 57% let their dogs off the lead in the countryside but only 40% admitted their pet always came back when called.

Jazz White, a farmer from the Forest of Dean Commoners Association, said lambs can "flip" inside ewes due to the stress involved in dog attacks.

"We have to rearrange them in order for that birth to go ahead properly, otherwise it can cause all sorts of other issues, and vets need to be called," she said.

"Please be respectful of all our flocks, free roaming or in the field."

'Top priority'

Priya Shukla, a dog trainer in the Forest of Dean, said recall should be a dog owner's "top priority".

She said the number of dog owners lacking confidence in their dog's recall could be lower than the 40% suggested by NFU Mutual.

"People don't necessarily need to go to a group class or pay for training, there is a lot of content online," said Ms Shukla.

"It is work every day but then you should be willing to put that work into your dog."

Gloucestershire Police's rural crime team attended the incident in Blakeney and have reminded dog owners of their responsibility to keep pets on a lead around livestock.

Officers asked anyone with information on the incident to get in touch.

The team said it had been investigating several other reports of livestock worrying in the Forest of Dean, at locations including Popes Hill and Tibberton.