NSA speaks out to keep sheep worrying by dogs in the spotlight

NSA has spoken out across the UK about the serious issue of sheep worrying by dogs this week (17th of February).

At the start of the week NSA Scotland Chair Peter Myles was featured on STV following a dog attack in Aberdeenshire that killed several ewes and leaving many other injured. Peter’s interview can be viewed here.

Project Manager Nicola Noble also joined BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s breakfast programme urging listeners to be responsible dog owners by keeping their pets on a lead near sheep as the station highlighted the serious issue.

Nicola’s interview (available to listen to here) coincided with the release of some positive new figures from NFU Mutual this week that indicate the cost of livestock worrying to farmers is actually falling in areas of the UK.

The latest figures estimate that farm animals worth almost £1.8 million were severely injured or killed in dog attacks in 2024, a fall of 26% compared to the previous year.

The NFU Mutual’s new survey of 1,136 dog owners found 57% let their dogs off lead in the countryside but, worryingly, only 40% admitted their pet always comes back when recalled.

Forty-three percent believed their dog was capable of causing the death or injury of livestock, up 11% compared to the previous year’s survey. And if present at an attack, just over half would intervene to stop it, while 20% would tell a local farmer and 17% would call the police.

NSA Members are invited to share their experiences of sheep worrying attacks to be used as case studies ahead of NSA’s campaign week at the beginning of April. Please contact lydia@nationalsheep.org.uk if you can help with this.