A woman has paid £300 in compensation to a shepherd after a livestock worrying incident involving her dog led to the death of a sheep.
The incident occurred in Ninham, Isle of Wight, on March 14, when the off-lead dog chased sheep grazing in a field before it bit and killed one, officers said.
Officers from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spoke to the woman and decided to deal with the issue by means of community resolution.
Community resolutions are out of court disposals, meaning that criminal offences can be dealt with following an admission of guilt by a suspect, without pursuing criminal charges or a prosecution through court.
Under the conditions of the community resolution, the dog owner – a 53-year-old woman from Sandown – has paid £300 compensation to the shepherd.
Police staff investigator Andrew Williams, from the Country Watch team, said: “The majority of dog owners are responsible, but unfortunately there is a small minority whose recklessness puts the welfare of other animals at risk.
“It is so important to keep dogs either on leads or under close control, particularly around livestock.
“If you are walking your dog in a field and there is no livestock, please keep the dog in sight at all times, be aware of what it is doing, and be confident it will return to you promptly on command. If you cannot be confident of this, the dog should not be off the lead.”
Williams asked dog owners to ensure their dog does not stray off the path or area where they have right of access.
