12 reports of sheep worrying in Cumbria since January

THE Cumbrian police and crime commissioner has called for dog owners to keep their dogs on leads in rural areas after 12 reports of sheep worrying were received by the constabulary since January.

Peter McCall said it was a dog owner’s duty to ensure that 'all dogs are kept on a lead when in a field with or near livestock', when he revealed the number of incidents, three of which resulted in sheep injury and four resulted in the death of a sheep.

The force warned that dog owners found by police allowing their dog to be off-lead and worrying animals could face a fine of up to £1000 and farmers were legally entitled to shoot dogs endangering their livestock.