Dog attacks on livestock cost £1.8m as Yorkshire farmers fear more incidents when spring arrives

Nearly two thirds of owners say they let their dog roam off-lead in the countryside. However, almost 40 per cent admit that their pets do not always come back when called.

The harsh reality of some dog owners’ failure to control their pets is evident in the latest figures based on claims data from NFU Mutual.

The rural insurer estimates farm animals worth £169,272 were severely injured or killed by dogs in 2022 in the North East - a rise of 43.7 per cent in cost compared to 2021.

Across the UK, dog attacks on farm animals were estimated to cost £1.8m in 2022.

Many dog owners are unaware that even if their pet doesn’t make contact with a sheep, the distress and exhaustion caused by being chased can trigger a pregnant ewe to die or miscarry. Young lambs can also become separated from their mothers.

Hannah Binns, NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist said: “It’s clear that a significant number of dog owners in the North East are blinded by their love for their pets and believe that they would never chase, attack or kill livestock.

“We’ve heard reports from farmers that dog walkers are becoming more distracted, often on their mobile phones with their pets out of sight, and are seemingly unaware of the carnage their dog could cause.

“The Covid-19 pandemic saw a boom in dog ownership as many people purchased puppies for the first time, yet these may not have been trained properly or be familiar with farm animals.

“It is concerning that these now fully-grown dogs will be visiting farmland as we get into spring at a time when pregnant ewes and newborn lambs are vulnerable.

“Farmers near cities, towns and our many tourist areas are also living in fear of repeat attacks, which cause horrific suffering to sheep and can traumatise their families as they deal with the aftermath.

“That is why we are calling for dog owners to be responsible and accept their pets, however friendly, are capable of chasing and attacking farm animals and should be kept on a lead when walked anywhere near livestock.”

South Yorkshire farmer, Steven White farms 650 Swaledale, Cheviot and Texel ewes across 700 acres on the Sheffield and Derbyshire border.

He recalls an unusual case that led to two of his sheep being killed when a dog jumped from a car window as the car slowed down to park in a lay-by adjacent to farm land and attacked the ewes grazing in the field.

Two sheep had to be destroyed and five others were injured but recovered.

However, the attack caused three sheep to escape out onto the busy A57, which could have caused carnage. In the event, there was just one casualty, when one of the ewes was hit by a family car, killing the sheep and causing huge distress to the driver and passengers.

A neighbouring farmer who had been travelling on the road at the same time saw the incident and caught the dog – a lurcher with a previous history of chasing sheep.

He said: “I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before, and if our neighbour hadn’t been seen the incident we could have been held responsible for the accident on the road. As it was, NFU Mutual sorted it all out and recovered the money from the dog owner’s own insurance.

“We farm between Sheffield and the Derbyshire peaks, so most dog walkers from the city pass us by and head up to Ladybower Reservoir. However, since Covid we are seeing more dog walkers on our land. Most are responsible and keep their dogs on the lead near livestock when they’ve seen the warning signs supplied by NFU Mutual.

“Some don’t unfortunately and are constantly chatting on their phones or are listening to music with earbuds in and have no idea what their off-lead dog is up to.”

The National Sheep Association confirmed that in line with its own previous surveys, respondents once again reported an increase in the incidence of attacks. 76 per cent believed cases had increased over the past three years with many identifying the increase in dog ownership during the covid-19 pandemic as a perceived cause of the rise of cases.