This year has seen an unprecedented rise in the number and ferociousness of attacks by dogs on livestock throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK.
At The Scottish Farmer we have been utterly appalled at some of the pictures we have seen and the stories we have heard from livestock owners who have seen large chunks, literally ripped out of their flocks and their bank balances. The feeling of desperation and frustration amongst farmers, the Police and responsible dog owners, is almost palpable. That’s why it needs to change.
Too often the perpetrators get away Scot-free and the law appears too weak to offer any credible justice in bringing the guilty parties to book. It is not just about financial loss – in money terms, an extremely conservative estimate is £1.6m each year – but it is the anguish and heartbreak that follows any dog attack, whether there have been fatalities or not.
This is why we are asking you to support our campaign for a tougher stance by lawmakers and the judiciary. At the moment, the system of dealing with transgressors – some of whom are repeat offenders – is not working. Even if cases ever come to court, the paltry fines and merciful treatment handed out to the attack dogs, mean that there is little fear of retribution.
It is up to Government to make the laws that will make people think twice about letting Rover run free amongst livestock. We need a watertight regulatory process that will let people known that if they are found guilty of allowing their dogs to attack livestock, then the consequences will be clear: ¬ there will be compensation sought, it will be a criminal offence and the offending dog(s) will be destroyed.
You can show us your support for tougher laws governing the handling of owners and dogs caught worrying livestock by signing our petition - [ Ссылка ]
- which we will present to government. The more support we get, the more weight it will have with the legislative process.
Also, we are asking those with livestock to fill in an online survey so that we can better ascertain the hidden losses that never end up in court, or initiate an insurance claim. You can do this by following this link www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/takealeadsurvey
#TakeALead
