Dorset Police’s rural crime team has reported what it is calling “yet another” suspected dog attack, which in this case resulted in a lamb being euthanised by a vet.
Just last week the force reported livestock worrying concerns in north Dorset, where fences were cut in the Wool area.
The rural crime team said yesterday (Tuesday, April 11) that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was recently alerted to a field in Beaminster where there was an injured lamb in a very remote area with no other sheep close by.
After an inspection from the RSPCA and the vet, Dorset Police said, it was determined that the lamb had most likely been attacked by a dog then purposely had its ear tag ripped out and was dumped in a field so it could not be traced back to the farmer.
“When the lamb was found it was suffering from septicaemia and shock due to the injuries caused and had to be euthanised,” the rural crime team said in a post on Facebook.
“The vet believes the injuries were consistent with that of a dog attack, roughly two to three days old, and there was unnecessary suffering caused to this lamb.”
The rural crime team said it wanted to take this opportunity to remind the public that livestock worrying is a criminal offence and the penalty for it can be up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,000.
The team urged anybody with information relating to the incident to get in touch.
“If you see a dog worrying or attacking livestock, we urge you to report this to police on either 999 or 101,” it said.
