Appeal for witnesses after sheep killed by dog in field

Police have issued a warning after the sheep died with dog owners facing fines of up to £40,000 or prison under new laws to tackle sheep worrying.

Tara Fitzpatrick

30th Mar 2023

Police are appealing for witnesses after a sheep was fatally attacked by a dog in Dalbeattie.

An appeal to the public has been issued after the incident occurred on the Wednesday afternoon.

The attack took place in a field around one mile west of Colvend in Dalbeattie.

An image of the sheep, which has been blurred by police to avoid distress, shows the injuries sustained.

The sheep died as a result of the attack.

Police are appealing for information of any dogs in the area at the time.

In a statement the local police division said: “In this instance, the stress caused to the rest of the flock, which were in lamb has the potential to cause abortion or miscarriage.

“The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force on November 5 2021 to tackle the issue of out of controls dogs attacking and worrying livestock.

“Under this new law, owners of dogs that attack or worry livestock can be fined up to £40,000 or even sent to prison for up to 12 months.

“This crime occurs with any dog, including those which are well trained, are off their leads or are roaming without an owner or person in charge of them. Whilst many owners are unaware of the impact their dogs are having on livestock, it is their responsibility to ensure attacks and worrying don’t happen.”

Anyone with information should contact police, the reference number is PS-20230329-2875.