Police urge dog owners to stay alert during lambing season somersetcountygazette.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from somersetcountygazette.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
POLICE have appealed to dog owners to be responsible when out enjoying the countryside and to keep all dogs on a lead when around any livestock. They say there is an increasing danger that dogs off the lead will worry sheep and other livestock as lockdown begins to ease and people start to go out and about again. This is especially worrying as the lambing season will soon be in full swing. Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and the penalty can be six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,000. Sgt Greg Fergusson, Rural Crime Lead at Wiltshire Police, said: “We are asking all dog owners to help us to protect livestock in Wiltshire by putting your dog on a lead.
Rural crime team at work Police in Wiltshire have increased patrols amid a crackdown on rural crime. This weekend (Saturday 13 March) Wiltshire Police’s Rural Crime Team were joined by members of the Special Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police to carry out a dedicated day of action to target areas known for poaching offences and hare coursing. Officers are working to put on more “intelligence-led patrols” at all hours of the day and night to locate offenders. Making use of local contacts, such as community policing teams, as well as more specialised organisations, such as the police’s drone unit, the Rural Crime Team say they are doing “all that we can to track down offenders and investigate all angles to prosecute.”
POLICE have appealed to dog owners to be responsible when out enjoying the countryside and to keep all dogs on a lead when around any livestock. They say there is an increasing danger that dogs off the lead will worry sheep and other livestock as lockdown begins to ease and people start to go out and about again. This is especially worrying as the lambing season will soon be in full swing. Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and the penalty can be six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,000. Sgt Greg Fergusson, Rural Crime Lead at Wiltshire Police, said: “We are asking all dog owners to help us to protect livestock in Wiltshire by putting your dog on a lead.
DOG owners are urged to keep their pets on a lead on walks in the countryside while near livestock. Wiltshire Police say there is an increasing danger as lockdown eases that dogs off the lead will worry sheep and other livestock, which is especially worrying as lambing season is upon us. Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and the penalty can be six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,000. The crime is traditionally thought of as a dog biting or attacking livestock, but it can mean chasing animals in a way that may cause injury or suffering (for ewes, this can mean causing an abortion or fewer offspring to be born)