A FARMER has issued a plea for dog walkers to keep their pets on leads around sheep.

John Wood, who runs Merley Hall Farm on the border of Poole and Wimborne, said dog worrying is an issue that has plagued his farm for years.

“We have had issues from dogs chasing our sheep and lambs to mauling them resulting in them needing to be put down,” said John.

“The problem is most people think that a dog chasing a sheep but not actually catching it doesn’t do any harm but it can be devastating.

“The stress can lead to the ewes aborting and losing their babies which in the past has cost us more than £6,000.”

John is particularly concerned as they are just about to enter lambing season.

“Over the next 10 weeks we are expecting to have around 3,000 lambs born on the farm,” said John, whose lambs are famous because of the little plastic rain coats they wear.

“Dog worrying is a real concern for us and if dogs are not kept under control it could cost us dearly.”

In 2013 one of John’s sheep was mauled to death by a dog. It was left so badly injured that it had to be put down.

“It’s a very sad thing to see one of your animals which you have looked after for many years in pain because a dog has attacked it,” he said.

According to John farmers are entitled to shoot dogs if they were in a field with livestock, although he said he would not do so.

“Most farmers are great animal lovers and to shoot a dog would really be a last resort for them,” added John.

“It is more the owners fault than the dog’s.

“I just want owners to realise that even if their dog doesn’t actually attack a sheep it is still causing it harm.

“And I’m just urging all dog walkers to keep their four-legged friends on a lead.

“We just want people to realise that when dog walkers come into the countryside for an enjoyable walk they remember that this is our workplace.”

Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, if a dog worries sheep on agricultural land, the person in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence. The act covers attacking sheep, chasing them in a way that may cause injury, suffering, abortion or loss of produce or being off a lead in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.

To meet some of John’s lambs and find out exactly what happens on a farm during lambing season visit Merley Hall Farm between 11am and 3pm on Sunday, March 27 for a charity open day.