Survey: Dog owners fail to tell farmer following sheep attack

Less than 5% of sheep farmers receive direct contact from the owners of dogs that have been involved in an attack on their livestock, a new survey says.

The startling figure is included in a survey by the National Sheep Association (NSA), which has called on the public to take responsibility for such attacks.

With almost 60% of respondents finding evidence of an attack having taken place rather than being alerted by the owner, the result suggests sheep are often likely to be left suffering for a period of time.

The survey is completed by farmers, and is run annually to gain an up to date insight on the issue of sheep worrying by dogs’ continued severity and impact on the sector.

In line with previous years, respondents, located across the UK, once again reported an increase in the incidence of attacks.

Most (76%) believed cases had increased over the past three years with many identifying the increase in dog ownership during the pandemic as a perceived cause of the rise of cases.