The National Sheep Association (NSA) has urged sheep farmers to take part in its annual survey today (Monday, January 12) for insight into cases of livestock worrying by dogs.
According to the NSA, sheep worrying occurs when a dogs chases and/or physically attacks sheep, causing significant stress and subsequent devastating problems that can include miscarriage of lambs, physical injury, and sadly in many cases, death of the animals affected.
The NSA is also encouraging dog owners to contribute to the survey “to raise awareness of these incidents and find ways to improve education, guidance and cooperation”.
The survey will be open from today until Monday, March 9, and it can be completed on the NSA’s website.
NSA
Speaking on the survey, NSA chief executive, Phil Stocker commented: “Sheep farmers across the UK nations are regularly faced with the dreadful consequences of sheep worrying by dogs.
“Attacks not only compromise animal welfare but also cause great stress, anxiety and financial loss to farmers themselves.
“All contributions help to create a more accurate representation of the matter, critical for NSA when is working towards increased understanding of the problem, whether that be amongst the dog-owning population, farmers, or those responsible for legislating on the issue.”
NSA stated that the timing of this survey is “significant” as it helps to highlight the issue of livestock worrying at an especially important time for UK sheep farmers when many ewes are in the final stages of pregnancy or have young, vulnerable lambs, meaning the risk of miscarriage or mismothering due to stress from an attack is increased.
Livestock worrying
This survey has been launched following laws that have been recently introduced to prevent dog attacks on farm animals.
The new law, the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 sees changes to the maximum penalty for the owner of a dog involved in livestock worrying, increasing from £1,000 to an unlimited fine and police given powers to detain dogs believed to pose an ongoing threat to livestock.
A past survey of farmers from the NSA found that almost four in five (87%) sheep farmers have experienced a dog attack on their flock in the past year, with many reporting multiple incidents.
