Police flock to protect sheep

Officers Robert Montague and Cheryl Blanch patrol for dogs on their Pentlands quad bikes

The move follows reports of domestic dogs seen chasing herds of sheep, which can lead to the pets being legally shot by farmers and their owners prosecuted.

Dogwalkers on the Pentland Hills Regional Park will be targeted after a poster campaign highlighting potential consequences of failing to control their animals.

As well as sheep being mauled by dogs, there is an added danger that pregnant ewes become so terrified by the chase that they suffer a miscarriage.

Figures for sheep- worrying are often deceptively low because farmers, who view dog attacks as an occupational hazard, are sometimes reluctant to report the matter to the police.

However, PC Derek Frizzel, of Lothian and Borders Police, said they were mounting the quad bike patrols to show they were taking the issue seriously.

"The advice we are giving, and the consequences for owners and dogs who ignore it, are the same in rural areas across the region and apply to East Lothian as well," he said.

"Farmers who witness sheep being chased or attacked can, under law, shoot the offending dog.

"Allowing a dog to chase or attack sheep is a criminal offence. The police can become involved and charges pressed." Alistair Cowan, who farms sheep at Eastside just south of Silverburn, said there was often ignorance of the rules among dog owners.

"In my experience of working with dogs and from what I see on the hill, no dog can ever be trusted 100 per cent around sheep. It's not just actual attacks that cause the problem - even a dog whose owner might think it's just being playful can cause the animal serious distress.

"A pregnant ewe can abort, or lambs can become permanently separated from the ewe. This is my livelihood, and people wonder why I get angry sometimes."

Alan McGregor, manager of the Pentland Hills Regional Park, said: "We want everyone - and their dogs - to enjoy the Pentland Hills safely. Owners may think they are responsible and know their dog will not harm another animal. But if they don't understand sheep farming, they are not really equipped to make that decision.

"A dog running off the lead among sheep, even if it doesn't attack them, can cause such stress that a ewe aborts, and a 'playful' nip can paralyse a lamb. The dog owner may not even realise it's happened.

"Dog walkers, from the city especially, may be used to recreational space where it is appropriate to let their dog off the lead. Open country is not necessarily recreational.

"If it's a farm, a strict code of behaviour has to be kept."