Dog Owners Asked to Keep Their Pets Secure at Night Following Sheep Worrying

Dog owners have been asked to ensure their pets are secured at night following an incident of sheep worrying near Crossmaglen.

Newry & Armagh MLA Aoife Finnegan said: “Several sheep were killed by dogs at night over the last few weeks in the area. This is a very distressing situation for farmers and their livestock. We all love our pets and need to ensure that they are safe at home and not out causing havoc on farms. The farming industry is facing enough pressures without also losing stock in this fashion”

Aoife continued: “Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to sheep, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die and pregnant ewes to miscarry their lambs.

"Sheep fleeing from dogs are often killed or seriously injured by their panicked attempts to escape, causing untold damage to fences and field boundaries in the process.

"Dogs chasing ewes and lambs can cause mis-mothering issues, with lambs dying from starvation or hypothermia when they become separated from their mother and fail to find her again."

The new MLA who is on the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee at the Assembly added "Dog bites can cause death in sheep or necessitate them being put down at a later date, or in less severe cases considerable veterinary bills.

"Injuries to sheep can also delay the normal farming routine, be it the mating season or administration of vital medicines and vaccines”.

The south Armagh MLA also spoke about the direct emotional and mental health consequences sheep worrying incidents have on farmers and their families.

“Then there are the direct emotional and mental health consequences on the farmer/s (and usually their families) involved. All this costs money and time so any detriment to the sheep also harm the farmer’s livelihood.

 "Farmers  work to some of the highest standards of health and welfare and are bound by legal rules and regulations to ensure standards are maintained. 

"In addition to the issues raised above, sheep worrying is extremely frustrating for the farmer as all their hard work, time and investment can be undone in one action, completely out of their control”