Herefordshire and Worcestershire farmers fear rise in dog attacks on livestock this Easter
Farmers are worried about the impact livestock worrying is having
Last updated 15th Apr 2024
Farmers across Herefordshire and Worcestershire are concerned about the potential rise in dog attacks on their livestock this Easter.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) say farm animals worth an estimated over £300,000 were severely injured or killed in dog attacks in 2023 in the Midlands region.
Across the UK, the estimated cost of livestock worrying soared by nearly 30% to £2.4 million last year.
Ali Parker is the Herefordshire adviser for the NFU and says these cases can have a big impact on animals and farmers.
She said: "There's numerous cases where flocks of sheep have been killed through dogs attacking them and it's terrible for both the animals and the farmer to experience.
"You hear about where big groups of sheep have been killed, but actually day-to-day there are cases going on all the time and it might be a couple of sheep that have been distressed from a dog chasing them.
"Some farmers have built up their herds of sheep by breeding them over years and years, and that can be destroyed in an instant by something like a dog just being off their lead."
Lambs and pregnant sheep are the most vulnerable at this time of year, which is the main worry for farmers.
Ali says it's important that people are making sure their dogs stay on the lead when around sheep and livestock in order to keep them safe.
"Farmers want the public to enjoy the countryside and take dogs for walks and things like that, but you can never predict what your dog will do in a certain situation or what might happen to trigger the dog to do something," Ali said.
"People want to enjoy lovely countryside walks and and take their dogs out and that's absolutely fine, but if they just bear in mind when they are coming into a field that has got sheep in or lambs, just put your dog on a lead.
"If you are going through fields of livestock, just putting your dog on the lead for that period means you've got a far better level of control in case there is something that spurs that dog to go off."