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Farmer’s heartbreaking note to dog walkers after pregnant sheep had to be put down
One of the farmer’s pregnant sheep had to be put down as a result of a dog attack
A farmer was forced to leave an emotional note to dog walkers after recently being forced to put down a pregnant sheep.
The handwritten note, which was found stuck to a fence in rural Cheshire, pleaded with dog walkers to keep their pets on a lead after a pregnant ewe had to be put down.
The message reads: “We have pregnant ewes in this field. We have just had the vet put down a pregnant ewe.
“Please keep your dog/s [sic] on a lead, they may not attack but can still chase and scare our ewes. Thank you.”
Cheshire Police Rural Crime Team shared a photograph of the note onto their Facebook page over the weekend, where they issued a stern warning to dog walkers in the area.
The police team captioned their post: “No one wants to over sign the #countryside, but it’s really sad that we not only have official signs reminding people of their responsibilities to effectively not commit a crime, but we are seeing more and more heartfelt messages being put up.
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“Remember, YOUR DOG, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Thanks all and please feel free to share far and wide.”
The force’s post was quick to garner a strong reaction among social media users, who condemned ‘irresponsible’ and ‘careless’ dog owners who allow their pets to run freely in farmers’ fields, with some pointing out that farmers are often left with no choice but to shoot the dog.
Veronica White / Unsplash
One social media user suggested that vets should start handing out leaflets with their ‘puppy packs’ explaining that their dog could be shot if caught chasing sheep, to which the police force replied: “This is definitely something we should be looking at doing.
“We have some ideas, it’s the funding that’s the challenge.”
Dog attacks can result in the loss of unborn lambs and injuries to sheep, with the stress of being chased alone being enough to kill a sheep.
According to the RSPCA, if a dog causes distress among livestock, the owner may end up being sued for compensation and, as a last resort, farmers are legally entitled to shoot dogs if they are endangering their sheep.