Police plead with owners to keep dogs under control after two lambs attacked and killed in Derbyshire

Police are asking owners to ensure their dogs are under control near livestock, following an incident in which two lambs were killed.
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The Derbyshire Rural Crime Team attended an incident in the south of the county on Sunday, April 3 in which a dog had begun to attack livestock.

A DRCT spokesperson said: “Unusually, the police were contacted by the dog owner informing us that their dog was worrying livestock and they could not get it back under control. By the time the dog had been brought under control it had killed two lambs and injured three others - that number may yet rise once the flock has been checked.

Two lambs were killed by the dog, and at least three more were injured.Two lambs were killed by the dog, and at least three more were injured.
Two lambs were killed by the dog, and at least three more were injured.
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“Owning a dog comes with responsibility. That responsibility extends to making sure your dog does not chase or injure livestock. To those who are thinking ‘my dog wouldn’t do that’ or ‘my dog is properly trained’ - in our experience, all of those we deal with don’t believe their dog will ever chase or attack livestock, and that is exactly the reason why the dog is not under proper control.

“There are several outcomes when it comes to dogs worrying livestock - perhaps the most thought-provoking for owners should be the outcome that the landowner shoots the dog, which they are entitled to do in law, to protect their stock. The owner can then still face a day in court and a hefty bill.”

The DRCT urged people to report these incidents, and said that while the photos of the dead lamb are graphic, they hoped it would help convince owners to keep their dogs under control.

“We don’t like sharing images like these. However, they are impactful, and if it prevents even one livestock attack happening then we think it is justified.

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“To dog owners, it is simple - your dog, your responsibility. Keep it on a lead around livestock or where you believe livestock may be present.

"To those who may witness livestock worrying, please report it and if possible, gather any evidence you can. Photographs are particularly useful but please only take photographs if it is safe to do so.”