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Orkney dog walkers urged to tread carefully as two charged following incidents of livestock worrying

Police confirmed they attended two separate incidents of livestock worrying in Orkney..
Image: Sonja Jordan/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
Police confirmed they attended two separate incidents of livestock worrying in Orkney.. Image: Sonja Jordan/imageBROKER/Shutterstock

Two people have been charged in Orkney following incidents of livestock worrying

Police confirmed they attended separate incidents of this nature on the islands in recent weeks.

The call-outs have now sparked a fresh appeal to island dog owners to act responsibly and take care in the countryside.

The advice from police is being issued ahead of the lambing season.

Owners are being instructed to keep their pets under proper control at all times as officers in Orkney warn of the dangers of an out of control dog around farm animals.

Sergeant Simon Hay from Kirkwall Police Station said: “All dogs have an instinct to chase, even if they are usually an obedient and well-behaved dog. This urge heightens if they are stimulated by being allowed off the lead over rural roads, tracks or beaches and even more so around other animals.

“I cannot over-emphasise the distress this causes to the animals involved, the victim animals’ owner, and the offending animals. We’d urge farmers and members of the public to report all incidents of livestock worrying to us so that we can thoroughly investigate.”

‘Out of control dogs can be extremely dangerous’

NFU officials are also appealing to owners to keep their dogs on a lead near fields, particularly at this time of year.

Regional policy advisor John Laughton warned incidents of this nature are on the rise.

“Dog worrying of livestock continues to be an issue, despite the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill becoming law in May 2021 with enhanced fines of up to £40,000 and up to 12 months’ imprisonment if your dog worries, attacks or kills livestock,” he said.

“Ultimately if you are a dog owner, the dog is your responsibility. Out of control dogs can be extremely dangerous for livestock and their young, so please, please keep your dogs on a lead near fields of livestock, particularly at this time of the year when breeding ewes are heavily pregnant and lambs start to appear out in fields.”

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