LAMBING SEASON
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With lambing upon us, I would like to remind dog walkers of their responsibilities with regard to keeping their pets on a lead when they are near sheep.
Dog owners have a clear responsibility to ensure their pets are under control and this is made clear in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, especially when there are pregnant ewes and young lambs in the fields.
If your pets chase or worry sheep, you are likely to get prosecuted and you could lose your dog.
Worrying is defined as attacking livestock, chasing livestock in such a way that it may be reasonable to expect the dog to cause injury or suffering to livestock as well as abortion in female animals, and being at large (not under close control or on a lead) in a field or enclosure where there are sheep.
Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to livestock, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of chasing/worrying by dogs can cause animals to die and pregnant stock to miscarry.
Livestock fleeing from dogs are often killed or seriously injured by their panicked attempts to escape, often causing significant collateral damage to fences and field boundaries in the process.
In some circumstances farmers are legally entitled to shoot dogs if they are endangering their sheep. Therefore it is vital that you keep your dog on the lead around livestock.
In the last few years there have been a number of prosecutions across Perth & Kinross under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 and several dogs have been destroyed; please make sure it’s not your dog.
If anyone witnesses an incident of livestock worrying they should contact Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
UPDATES
A 65 year old man was issued with a fixed penalty notice for vandalism for smashing a car window in Tay Street, Perth. (CR/33701/23)
A 25 year old woman was arrested for breaking in to one property and attempting to break in to another in Newhouse Road, Perth on Sunday 19th March.
A 33 year old man was arrested for drink driving on the A9 near Luncarty on Saturday 18th March.
A 20 year old man was arrested for breaking in to a property in Muirs, Kinross on Thursday 16th March.
A 21 year old man will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal for failing to keep control of his dogs and allowing them to worry sheep in a field off at A977 near Crook of Devon.
A 27 year old woman was arrested for drink driving in Feus, Auchterarder on Friday 17th March.
During the last week 3 drivers have been found to be without insurance and 2 had no licence.
RECENT INCIDENTS
Between 6pm, Wednesday 15th and 5pm, Thursday 16th March, a dark green Carrera Banshee Mountain Bike was stolen from George Street, Perth. (CR/34167/23)
About 1:30am, Thursday 16th March, a white Roller Team T Line Camper Van and a white Fiat Motor Caravan were stolen from Struan Motors, Crieff Road, Perth. (CR/32745/23)
About 1:30pm, Thursday 16th March, a brown Spaniel type dog was seen chasing sheep in a field on Duchally Road, Auchterarder. The owner, described as a male in his early 30’s with tanned skin, was seen to lift the dog over the fence and cycle off in the direction of Dunning. (CR/33585/23)
Between 12pm, Wednesday 15th and 1pm, Friday 17th March, 1,000 litres of heating oil was stolen from a tank at a property near Cairns of Aberbothrie, New Alyth. (CR/34578/23)
About 12:30am, Tuesday 21st March, a white Ford Transit Van was stolen during a break in to a property at Colbeggie Farm, Kettins. (CR/34398/23)