Rhos farmer's plea to dog walkers after sheep attacks

In September last year, Paul Jones, of Rhos Farm, Rhosllanerchrugog spoke to the Leader about the absolute "horror story" he faced after the two American XL Bulldogs came onto his farm.

In all, 22 of his pregnant sheep died and another 48 were injured in the resultant attack.

The 51-year-old described the pain and devastation that such attacks cause in a bid to make dog walkers think twice about letting their pets off leads around livestock.

But Mr Jones has confirmed this week that he has since had three more attacks, resulting in one ewe being killed and two others aborting.

As the weather and walking conditions in rural areas improve, Mr Jones is imploring the public to take sensible precautions in order to prevent any further attacks.

One of Mr Jones' injured sheep (Image: Paul Jones)"We haven't had any incidents this spring," he said, "and I think that's because the fields have been so wet. The weather's been atrocious, but that's helped us so far. 

"People really need to just keep their dogs on a lead.

"When I speak to people and ask them to do that, they say - oh don't worry, my fluffy wouldn't touch a sheep.

"But they don't realise that they don't need to touch them to worry them.

"If ewes are lambing and they see a dog, they'll just walk away and leave that lamb on the floor - we get a lot of mis-mothering that way.

"I put signs up during lambing period and try and speak to as many people as possible.

One of Mr Jones' injured sheep (Image: Paul Jones)"The majority of the public are good and will work with you, but there are always the odd one or two.

"The other day I had a lady throwing a ball for her dog in the middle of a field of sheep."

And whilst losing animals is of course "financially devastating" - finding lambs and other animals "ripped apart" takes a terrible personal toll on farmers.

Mr Jones provided the Leader with many images of the outcome of dog attacks on his farm, the least graphic of which we've been able to show here.

He continues: " We're doing 18 and 19 hour days at the moment, working so hard to keep these lambs alive.

"Then you go up to the field and five or six are dead because people can't keep their dogs on leads.

Paul Jones (Image: Paul Jones)"We just find the aftermath; little lambs ripped apart. It really gets you down."

Mr Jones' comments come after H&H Insurance Brokers publicly welcomed the new powers police may soon have under The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament.

The updated legislation aims to modernise existing laws including extending the definition of livestock to include alpacas and llamas, as well as widening locations where enforcement can be taken to roads and paths. 

It will give the police more powers to seize dogs after serious incidents, greater powers of entry, and to take evidence samples from livestock and dogs as part of their investigations. 

Livestock worrying by dogs is currently covered by the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

The act makes it an offence to be in charge of a dog that worries livestock on any agricultural land. 

Haf Rowley, an associate director at H&H Insurance Brokers, said: “The impact of livestock worrying can be devastating, both in terms of the injuries caused to the animals and the stress and upset for farmers from seeing their animals suffer, as well as the financial implications to their livelihood. 

One of Mr Jones' injured sheep (Image: Paul Jones)“These proposed new measures are a step in the right direction which must also be combined with increasing awareness among dog owners about the importance of keeping their pets on a lead and under control whenever they are around livestock.” 

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A recent survey of rural crime teams by the National Sheep Association (NSA) found that 78 per cent of police forces reported an increase in dog attacks on sheep in recent years, with 76 per cent responding to sheep worrying incidents at least once a month. 

The survey, which covered 64 per cent of the UK’s rural crime teams, reported that dogs off a lead and not under control was the main cause of attacks, and that proactive use of signage was considered the most successful tool to help prevent sheep worrying by dogs.  

Mr Jones said he would also welcome police officers receiving more powers to tackle the "constantly" occurring issue of dog attacks.