Rural advice- Protecting livestock

Rural advice- Protecting livestock

Keep your dog on a lead: Awareness week messaging helping to protect animals

As part of work to educate dog owners and protect livestock, Northamptonshire Police’s Rural Crime Team have been visiting hotspot areas to share advice.

The work took place as part of the Force’s support of Sheep Worrying Week (April 14 -21), a nationwide awareness campaign run by charity the National Sheep Association.

Foot patrols took place in areas where livestock worrying has been reported, including in Preston Capes and Charwelton, with officers putting up signs where footpaths cross fields where animals are grazed.

Officers also chatted with dog walkers to share advice on keeping their pets safe and under control and spoke to farmers to ask for their views and any concerns.

Report livestock worrying by calling 101 or online at www.northants.police.uk/RO. In an emergency, such as when a dog is worrying livestock and cannot be stopped, call 999.

Anyone who shoots a dog to prevent livestock worrying must notify the police within 48 hours.

Tips for safe and responsible dog walking around livestock:

Keep dogs on a lead and under control when walking through fields of livestock

Always stick to public rights of way and leave all gates as you found them

If you live beside land where livestock is grazed, ensure you always know where your dog is, and keep your property secure so your dog cannot escape

Cows can be curious and may follow walkers. If this happens, keep facing the animal and move calmly and slowly, don’t turn your back to it or run

Steer well clear of young animals and do not try to pet them. Cows and calves will be protective and may become aggressive

If you feel threatened by cattle when with a dog, let go of the lead so you and the dog can get to safety separately

Dog owners MUST bag and bin their dog’s poo - it carries a parasite called Neosporin which causes abortions in animals and the bags left on the ground can be ingested and cause slow painful deaths, or baled into silage and eaten that way

For more information on the Countryside Code visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code

You can read the full article on our website here.

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