Farmer warns dog walkers over sheep worrying incidents after deaths of pregnant ewes

A Dunblane farmer is urging dog owners to be more vigilant when walking their pets near livestock after a run of incidents in recent years caused the deaths of a number of pregnant sheep.

Heather McNicol farms land at Barbush – the field between Dunblane and Ashfield – and says that in the last year she has had at least three pregnant sheep drown after being chased by out-of-control dogs.

It remains unclear if the sheep were chased in the same incident, or in separate attacks.

Lambing season in Scotland usually take place between early March and late May, but in recent years there has been an apparent spike in the number of sheep worrying incidents during the busy time of year for farmers.

“A few weeks later, it was confirmed by one of the Animal Welfare team at Stirling Council, as they were found washed up in Stirling and were able to be identified by their ear tags”, Heather said.

“We also had some lambs injured and one was killed last year by dogs.

“Every year we have sheep chased and disturbed and lambs injured and killed.

“We are never notified by the owners when this happens either, we always just find the poor things when we’re out checking on them.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking and massively frustrating.

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“I can’t comprehend how anyone could see their dog injuring or disturbing sheep and just walk away leaving them to suffer.”

Heather added: “This year alone, we have had multiple incidents of finding people with dogs off lead, running about fields of heavily pregnant sheep and very young lambs.

“Despite explaining to these adults – sometimes multiple times and over multiple years – the damage this often causes, many continue to disregard our pleas and break the law.

“So from now on, wherever possible, we will record any incidents that we can to use as evidence to pass on to the police.

“No matter how lovely your dog is, the sheep do not understand that.

“They are prey animals and all they see is a predator.

“This applies to any dog running or playing nearby them, including when walking the dog right through the flock.

“The dog being on a lead does not remove the distress to the sheep.

“Dogs don’t have to be specifically attacking them to cause extreme distress and or death.”

Heather says that she often sees sheep left with nasty injuries, suffered as they try to evade capture, as well as miscarriages and lost and dead lambs who have become separated from their mothers – which can lead to hypothermia and starvation.

Heather also says that many dog walkers display a ‘devil may care’ attitude to the issue, adding: “We regularly meet people with their dogs bouncing about running and playing, either off lead or on long leads and often when we approach the owners they are at best confused and often quite unpleasant and adamant that their dog isn’t causing any issues because it’s not specifically running at or attacking the livestock – despite the sheep running in opposite directions all over the place or being huddled up at one end of the field.

“We often hear ‘there’s no sheep in this part of the field’ which is often true because of the dog walkers scaring them to the other side of the field.

“And unfortunately it seems to be a lack of caring rather than knowledge, as there are lots of people who, as soon as they see us in the field, quickly put the dogs back on the lead, leave the field and even hide from us too.”

Farm owners can legally shoot out of control dogs that are worrying or attacking their sheep.

The Dogs (Protection of livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) act 2021 means owners of dogs attacking and worrying livestock can now be jailed for up to a year and face fines up to £40,000.

Inspector Andy Bushell, from Dunblane Police Office, said: “Failing to keep your dog under control is a crime and could result in a significant fine or even imprisonment.

“It is the dog owner’s responsibility to ensure their dog is on a lead or under close control when wildlife/livestock are present.

“Police Scotland is committed to working with its partners to increase public awareness of the legislation to protect wildlife and livestock from dog attacks and irresponsible dog owners will be prosecuted.”