A woman has been ordered to pay a total of £750 after her dogs killed 15 sheep and injured a further 13 in Littleover, Derbyshire.
Evie Watson, 27, of Ryedale Gardens, was subsequently charged with being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.
She appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court when she admitted the offence and was fined £475 and ordered to pay a £190 surcharge and £85 costs.
Sheep worrying
Watson was walking her lurcher type dog Beans and Spanish Greyhound Patcho in the fields near her home in Littleover on May 17.
Beans was off the lead but after Watson dropped Patcho’s lead while she untangled him, both dogs then ran off.
The dogs were found over three hours later in a field with a number of injured and dead sheep.
In total 15 sheep were killed and a further 13 were injured, with the cost to the farmers being more than £7,400, Derbyshire Police said.
One of the dogs was found collapsed so Watson picked him up and took him to the vets before reporting the matter to police the following day.
In a victim impact statement, the farmer said: “I am hopeful that our financial losses will be covered by insurance but this really should not have happened in the first place.
“Farmers like us work hard, and our livelihood depends on us producing good quality livestock and is a long term enterprise. A disruption such as this can take years to recover from.”
‘Devastating impact’
Sgt Chris Wilkinson, from Derbyshire Police’s rural crime team, said: “Livestock worrying can have a devastating impact on farmers who are working hard to make a living.
“This incident will continue to affect the farmers involved both financially and emotionally for some time to come.
“No-one ever wants to believe that their dog is capable of hurting other animals but as has been seen time and time again they can return to their predator instincts and chase livestock if given the chance.”
Wilkinson said it is “vital” that dogs are always kept on leads around livestock, no matter how much control owners believe they have over them.
“Livestock worrying is a crime which could, as has happened in this case, land you in court, so it’s just not worth the risk. Don’t take the chance and keep your dog under control and on a lead.”
