Warning to dog owners during lambing season
Police are urging them to be responsible.
Police are reminding dog owners to be responsible and keep their dogs on a lead while near animals to avoid attacks on sheep during lambing season.
The reminder comes after Wiltshire Police have received numerous reports of dogs off leads and chasing sheep on farmland. In one recent incident a sheep was bitten by a dog, another ewe aborted her lambs, and a flock had to be rescued from a stream.
Inspector Andy Lemon, from the Rural Crime Team said: "Dog owners are reminded that they are responsible for their dogs at all times and allowing them out of sight to roam does not negate your responsibility for your pets.
“Offences are being committed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the Protection of Livestock Act and incidents of this nature are taken seriously, particularly at this time of year when many sheep are in lamb and due to give birth to young at any moment.
“Please be mindful of your dog escaping or being out of sight around livestock.”