Farmers warn of dog attacks on livestock, causing injuries, deaths, and financial losses. Owners urged to keep dogs on leads.
The farmer, Alex Campbell-Hill, found the injured cow. A vet said the cow couldn’t be saved, and livestock worrying caused this decision. NFU Mutual paid out the insurance claim, even with no direct proof of a dog attack.
Alex was happy with NFU Mutual’s support. He believes other insurers might not have paid. His farm is close to Wotton-under-Edge, where many dog owners let their canines off their leads. Signs in the area tell people to keep dogs on leads and ask walkers to clean up after their pets.
Alex raises beef cattle and sells the calves. Sadly, he loses animals to neosporosis, a disease that makes cows abort and can even cause death. He also mentioned concern over dog waste; one field, known as the “dog walking field”, is next to the village. They cut hay there, but it gets mixed with dog poo.
Alex often talks to dog owners about their pets, but some owners are not receptive. He finds it hard to confront people. He mentioned two large lurcher-like dogs running around loose; he warned their owners he would report them, and only then did they take notice. Lambing season makes things worse for farmers, because ewes become quite vulnerable to dog attacks.
Dog attacks in the UK cost about £1.8 million last year. While sheep worrying has declined a bit since last year, many dog owners know about livestock attacks. Still, 57% let their dogs run free in the countryside, and only 40% of those dogs come back when called.
NFU Mutual found dog owners want new laws that would prevent livestock attacks. A Bill is in Parliament to give police more power, and NFU Mutual supports this new Bill, which aids current work to stop these incidents. The cost of dog attacks fell in the South West, but people should not be careless.
Hannah Binns works for NFU Mutual. She noted the cost of worrying fell in 2024 because the industry worked hard to raise awareness. Lambing season is a dangerous time because pregnant ewes and lambs are both vulnerable right now. Farmers fear repeat attacks because they cause suffering to animals and people: some dogs injure or kill sheep, but the owners cannot stop them or are nowhere to be found.
Farmer Tom Clinnick seeks help to ID a dog owner after the dog attacked his pregnant ewe near playing fields in Ivybridge, Devon. He posted on Facebook about the attack and wants the owner to admit the dog’s actions. The sheep was heavily pregnant at the time, and nine in ten people want tougher laws.
The latest survey which came from NFU Mutual and PetBuzz reports farm animals worth £225,000 were hurt or killed in the South West in 2024, representing a 37% drop compared to 2023. Almost half of the surveyed dog owners think their dog could hurt or kill livestock.
Just over half said they would stop an attack, while twenty percent would tell the local farmer, and seventeen percent would call police for help. Hannah Binns said ignorance is not good in this case and that all dogs can chase, hurt, or kill animals. Dog owners must keep dogs on leads to prevent needless attacks on livestock.
Ultimately, people must take responsibility for their dog, and they have to report any attacks, telling both the farmer and the police so that injured animals are not left to suffer.
The Midlands had the highest costs of dog attacks, while the South West was next in line with the costs. NFU Mutual calls for careful dog ownership to prevent horrific attacks on livestock, and asks dog owners to do these things: keep dogs on leads near livestock, be aware that all dogs can harm farm animals, report attacks to the police or farmer, and never let dogs out unsupervised near livestock.