A second brutal sheep attack in two weeks has left the farming community counting the cost.
Six lambs were savaged on a North Wales farm last week and with two more likely to die from their injuries, 82-year-old Northop farmer Rae Webster has been hit hard.
Another farmer, Rob Tilston, from Cymau in Wrexham, lost nine of his 40-strong flock at the end of January.
Loss of livestock poses a serious threat to any farmer’s business. NFU Mutual, the insurance arm of the National Farmers’ Union, estimates the UK cost of attacks on sheep to be £900,000 a year.
With lambing season on its way, experts say sheep-worrying can be genuinely make-or-break.
North Wales police are currently investigating the latest incidents and appealing for information.
Rae Webster believes owners should be held to account for the damage inflicted by their pets.
He said: “Sometimes it feels like you’re at an end. I don’t know whether it’s a lack of education or what, but people just don’t seem to notice. I’m absolutely fuming at what has happened.
“If I hadn’t arrived when I did I could have lost the whole flock. The police tell me I’m within my rights to shoot the dog but that won’t bring my sheep back.
"There needs to be more done, harsher punishments. It might just look like a field to some people but this is my livelihood.”
Kate McIntyre of NFU Mutual said: “Dogs naturally want to play and will chase things.
“Even the most well-behaved dog can cause trouble in fields with grazing animals and, in the case of larger cattle, if frightened they could end up attacking you.”
Rae’s lambs were worth up to £150 each while some cattle can sell for up to £800.
Add this loss to vet bills and the cost of disposing of dead animals and a single attack can leave a farmer broke.
The run-up to lambing is a particularly crucial period. Pregnant ewes require delicate handling and are moved away from the flock to a quiet and sheltered place.
If a ewe is chased by an overexcited dog it may abort. Lambs’ survival is further threatened if, in the days after birth, a ewe is chased away and the process of maternal bonding broken.
Frightened sheep will naturally flock together and offspring reunited with the wrong mother may be rejected.
Even if a lamb finds the correct ewe it may be too weak to suckle.
The dangers posed by dogs are not limited to physical attacks and sheep worrying.
Dog faeces left behind can cause severe illness among livestock.
Tapeworm eggs excreted in dog faeces are directly infectious to other animals as well as humans.
Sheep and cattle can easily become infected by grazing on contaminated pasture, with symptoms including blindness.
NFU Cymru president Ed Bailey said every farmer would sympathise with Rae Webster.
“It must have been horrific to discover this scene of utter carnage,” he said.
“This kind of thing happens all too often and we appeal to all dog owners to keep their animals under control.”
Margaret Dalton, development officer for the National Sheep Association, said that educating the public has a key role to play in tackling the problem.
She said:“Farmers move their sheep around. Moving a ‘do not walk here’ sign with them simply wouldn’t work.”
Farmers can obtain free, durable signs to erect near footpaths from their local NFU Cymru office or by calling NFU CallFirst on 0870 845 8458.
Available in Welsh or English, they read: “Even your dog can scare or harm farm animals. Please put it on a lead near livestock.”
Advice for dog owners:
By law you must control your dog so that it does not disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife.
On most areas of open country and common land, known as ‘access land’, dogs must be kept on a short lead between March 1 and July 31, and all-year round near farm animals.
Farmers can shoot dogs if they are caught attacking sheep and owners could face prosecution and heavy fines if animals are harmed by their dogs.
The countryside code advises that a lead does not need to be used on public paths as long as your dog is under close control.
As a general rule keep your dog on a lead if you cannot count on its obedience. If a farm animal chases you and your dog it is safer to let your dog off the lead: don’t risk getting hurt trying to protect it.