Dog attacks on sheep rocket

PARK rangers and council wardens are on high alert after a record number of sheep were attacked by dogs in the Pentland Hills.

It was revealed today that more attacks have already been recorded in the hills in 2008 than in any other year.

And following more flashpoints at the weekend, park rangers and council wardens have been put on high alert and will up their patrols in the area.

Dog owners have been also been warned their pets will be shot by farmers if they are caught attacking farm animals.

The warning comes after two lambs were seriously injured at a farm on the Pentlands over the weekend. At least one dog set upon them and bit into the back of their legs. Farmer Graham Hamilton said it was still unclear whether or not the two lambs would live.

And the council said two pregnant ewes were also attacked by dogs. The total number of reported incidents resulting in fatality this year has now risen to six, while it is thought many more cases have gone unreported.

A council warning stated: "It is an offence for dogs to attack, chase or worry any livestock at any time of the year and a farmer is allowed shoot a dog caught doing so.

"One dog has been shot this year and only this weekend there were three separate incidents of sheep being attacked and lambs being killed.

"Environmental wardens and the Pentlands Hills' rangers have been put on high alert and will be carrying out extra patrols after another spate of lamb killings and attacks on pregnant ewes at the weekend."

Farmers have warned attacks are a threat to local industry as they take huge amounts of time to tend to the aftermath, as well as the cost of damaged livestock.

Mr Hamilton said: "This lambing season has been the worst for many years, with dog owners ignoring signs and allowing their pets to run free in areas where sheep and lambs are grazing. We've had some horrendous attacks this year and the industry can't take much more.

"On top of the attacks, it seems that a lot of people don't realise that simply letting a dog run near sheep kills unborn lambs. It is vital to the future of industry in this area that dogs are kept on a lead at all times. If a farmer sees a sheep being attacked they are well within their rights to shoot at the dog."

In March, the Evening News reported how a farmer shot dead two dogs in Gorebridge after they pounced on his sheep.

Farmer Keith Herdman claimed he had to shoot the pets to ensure the safety of the sheep. Councillor Alastair Paisley, vice chairman of the Pentland Hills Regional Park committee, said: "We have seen worrying number of dog attacks on lambs this year – much more than in previous years and we want to put a stop to it.

Nobody wants to see any more horrific attacks on sheep so we're urging all dog owners to keep their pets on a lead. Our wardens are on high alert at the moment and will be reporting cases where dogs are allowed to run free to the police."