Livestock worrying consultation attracts over 1,000 responses

The Scottish government is being urged to change the law to allow farmers who lose sheep to dog worrying to be fully compensated for their actual losses.

There have been 1,053 responses to a public consultation launched by South of Scotland MSP Emma Harper ahead of a proposed Member’s Bill to tackle incidents of dogs attacking or chasing livestock in Scotland.

NFU Scotland (NFUS) supports the Bill, but insists that any changes must include provision for full compensation based on actual losses suffered.

See also: The law on shooting dogs – critical facts farmers must know

Members’ Bills have limited financial scope so this Bill can’t include measures for full compensation. But NFUS said this must be a key component of any measures introduced to address this livestock worrying.

“Current legislation does not provide for compensation, which can result in significant financial impacts on individual farmers,” it said.

“Livestock farmers operate on small margins, and any loss can have a devastating effect on the farm business. In large-scale cases, this problem has the potential to threaten the sustainability of a farm business.”

Civil actions are currently the only means for farmers to recover the cost of losses.

The consultation closed on 15 May and a final proposal will now be lodged in the Scottish Parliament – if it gets the support of at least 18 other MSPs Ms Harper will have the right to introduce a Member’s Bill.

Increase penalties

Her Bill seeks to increase the maximum penalty fivefold – to £5,000 – and ban offenders from keeping dogs, in some cases for life.

The scale of sheep worrying in Scotland is reflected by the number of campaigns that seek to address this issue. The latest, “Your dog – your responsibility” was launched in January by the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) and has just concluded.

The results will be published this week.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said that regardless of geographical location, there is rarely a day that passes without it receiving a report of livestock worrying, therefore education was vital.

A farmer has the right to shoot a dog that attacks sheep and a court can order an owner to have the animal destroyed.

Case study: Robbie Wilson

Robbie Wilson © NFU Scotland

As a former doorman, sheep farmer Robbie Wilson is accustomed to conflict, but the hostility of dog owners who allow their pets to roam free among his flock is among the worst he has endured.

Mr Wilson runs a flock of 1,400 pedigree Texels in Aberdeenshire and some of the land he farms at Turriff is on the edge of the town.

That land is rented from the local agricultural show society and people use the pathways that cross it to walk their dogs.

Despite warning signs, many owners allow their dogs to run free and there are regular issues with sheep worrying.

“Every couple of weeks we get issues with sheep being chased, but dealing with the owners is often more difficult than dealing with the dogs,’’ Mr Wilson explained.

“I used to be a doorman in my younger days so I don’t have much of a fear factor, but I have had people threatening me with violence. There was a particular nasty incident four weeks ago.’’

Although he has not lost sheep directly to worrying, he said it affects their performance and health.

Most walkers use leads, but a minority ignore his pleas to observe the law.

“When I challenge them they insist that their dog wouldn’t chase sheep, but it is a dog’s instinct to do so,’’ said Mr Wilson.