But with all the joy of being a dog-owner comes responsibility, and while the majority of people are sensible with their pets, it breaks my heart every time I hear about livestock being attacked by dogs<\/a>. It\u2019s happened far too often on our own farm, when dogs have been let off their leads to run around, only to go after the sheep \u2013 with horrific consequences. Take it from me, you don\u2019t want to see what\u2019s left of a ewe after it\u2019s been mauled by a set of sharp teeth and claws.<\/p>\n It\u2019s rarely the dog\u2019s fault and more to do with owners having no control of their pets or believing that their animal is \u2018only playing\u2019 with the sheep.<\/p>\n The law is clear, though \u2013 a farmer has a legal excuse to shoot a dog if their sheep need to be protected from an attack. No farmer wants to do that and shooting would only ever be a last resort, but I wonder how many pet-owners know it\u2019s a possibility? On one occasion, a dog that attacked our flock had to be put down; it was a sad outcome for all concerned, but if a dog harms or kills once, there\u2019s a high risk that it will do it again.<\/p>\n More related content:<\/p>\n \u00a9 Getty<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> While it\u2019s hard to know exactly how many farm animals are maimed and killed every year, one estimate puts fatalities at more than 15,000. That doesn\u2019t include the many attacks each year that go unreported. What we can be certain about is that the cost to farm livelihoods is on the up. The latest figures from the insurers NFU Mutual reveal that claims involving dog attacks on livestock rose to more than \u00a31.5 million last year. According to the business\u2019s rural affairs specialist, Rebecca Davidson, it could get worse.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a new generation of dog owners whose pandemic puppies are coming of age, and they simply don\u2019t know how their dog is going to behave around livestock.\u201d<\/p>\n The law is clear \u2013 a farmer has a legal excuse to shoot a dog if their sheep need to be protected from an attack. <\/blockquote> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>
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