A DOG that was worrying sheep was shot by a farmer in a recent North Cornwall incident — and Bodmin Moor Commons Council’s welfare officer is warning the problem of livestock worrying is ‘massive’ and ‘growing’.

Camelford Police said it has had a number of calls regarding dogs worrying and attacking livestock in the past few weeks — with even fatal injuries to sheep.

PCSO Mike Dodd said there were two incidents at the end of January — one at Tintagel and one at Trebarwith Strand — and at one incident the dog was shot by the farmer.

PCSO Dodd said: “One thing to remember is a farmer can always kill a dog if they are worrying livestock. Keep control of your dog. Once a dog has chased a sheep they are very likely to do it again.

“Once a dog has killed a sheep it will continue to do so and you can’t stop them. Once a dog has got that type of killer instincts activated for sheep they seem to be uncontrollable.”

He said incidents are usually reported on the moor, at Davidstow or at Roughtor, but Bodmin Moor Commons Council’s livestock welfare officer Julie Dowton said she was ‘not surprised’ to hear of attacks at Tintagel and Trebarwith Strand.

Ms Dowton told the Post: “We are having horrendous problems. It’s a massive problem and an ongoing problem.

“From our point of view it’s a growing problem. It’s of great concern to obviously farmers and to a lot of dog owners. It’s just horrendous the damage it can cause.

“I think people really aren’t aware of the law and are not aware if their dog is running — and they say the dog is only trying to be friendly — what it does to livestock can be horrendous.

“If the sheep’s running it can abort. They are like prey and they know they are prey. It’s an offence to allow a dog to cause distress to livestock.”

She added: “There is a lot of legislation that covers it. Very shortly [the Bodmin Moor Commons Council] are going to do some work with the police around raising awareness. The last thing anybody wants to do is start shooting dogs.

“It’s an awful situation and a terrible thing to do but the farmer does have the right to do that.”

A Camelford Police spokesperson wrote on social media: “Please be aware that during lambing season sheep are particular vulnerable. While the initial attack may not injure it, the distress can lead to the death of the unborn lamb. The same goes for cows and their calves.

“We are lucky enough to live and be able to walk our dogs in lovely rural countryside. Please act responsibly when walking your dogs so that every one can enjoy the benefits.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said last year there we more than 150 crimes recorded across Devon and Cornwall linked to livestock worrying offences, and said the number of these incidents also usually increase during the lambing season.

Police are currently investigating what they have described as a ‘particularly nasty’ dog attack on a pregnant ewe near Holne in Dartmoor, which led to the animal having to be put down due to the severity of the injuries it suffered.

Anyone with information on this incident, which took place at around midday on Tuesday, February 14, is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference CR/011095/17.

PC Phil Johnson from the Teignmouth Crime Hub, said: “Not only is this incredible upsetting for the animals, this is also deeply distressing to the farmer. This particular farmer has had his livestock attacked 10 times in the past year and all of these incidents are preventable.

“If your dog attacks livestock, you as the owner could be responsible for this crime. We see a rise in these incidents during the spring and lambing season, and this is when livestock are at their most vulnerable.

“Not only could you be breaking the law, a farmer has the right to protect his livestock. If your dog is roaming free and bothering animals on the farmers land, your dog could be shot. On top of that, you could also be liable for the costs of the damage your dog has caused to the livestock if the farmer wished to take civil action against you.

“No matter how well trained or docile your pet is, the temptation to chase is a natural instinct that is sometimes hard for a dog to suppress. The advice to dog owners is simple: exercise responsibly and keep your dog on a lead when near livestock.”