By Claire Taylor

Dog owners could be in for a shock if they get slapped with a £40,000 fine or a stint in prison, for letting their dogs chase and kill livestock.

The message is clear – behind every cute fluffy pet, there is a desire to chase and often lurks the potential to become a vicious killer. But that killer instinct can only be unleashed by poor control by owners.

Some farmers are at the end of their tether by having to deal with the aftermath from uncontrolled dogs terrifying and mutilating their livestock, mainly sheep.

So what might appear at first an outrageous penalty to some, is actually the deterrent needed to make people wake up and take responsibility for their actions.

The emotional trauma which can result from the aftershock of these attacks cannot be overstated. Imagine the scene – a farmer having to pile dead sheep on to a trailer that have been mauled to death by a dog. I frequently hear reports of flocks of sheep discovered with their ears and noses ripped off, disembowelled and pregnant ewes aborting unborn lambs.

Read more: Brexit, elections, lockdown… a very bumpy road lies ahead

Traumatic abortion can then lead to infertility, which results in a further loss in farm income, particularly in high-value pedigree animals. Often vets are called to the scene to euthanise wounded livestock or stitch back together some of the carnage… more cost. And unharmed sheep can be left so frightened by what a dog owner might view as a "playful chase", that they are unable to be handled by humans ever again.

Farming can be a hard enough job at the best of times and losing stock is sadly part and parcel of the job, but avoidable incidents like these can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

No farmer should have to cope with the heartbreak that comes from losing animals they dedicate their lives to, day in, day out. We have all heard the expression "third or fourth generation farmer" but this can similarly be applied to sheep breeding lines, which can be traced back many generations to a specific bloodline that farmers have worked hard to preserve – often with a real sense of pride. A lifetime of work wiped out in one devastating attack.

It is an uncomfortable issue to discuss and it applies only to the minority, but there is a need to hammer home the message to dog owners that their beloved pet can be a killer.

A survey by the Scottish Government in 2019 found that 51 per cent out of 1,900 sheep farmers had suffered a dog attack on their sheep and that the current costs of dog attacks is £5.5 million a year.

Read more: British Wool announces depot closures in challenging market

This hardly begins to capture the extent of the problem as most farmers won’t report incidents to the police, either because they don’t think they will be taken seriously, or they are scared of repercussions from aggrieved dog owners. Farmers have had verbal threats, windows smashed, tyres slashed and arson attacks for coming forward.

South of Scotland MSP Emma Harper – who has strong farming links – has been listening to the concerns of farmers and crofters across Scotland and campaigned solidly for increased public awareness of such attacks. Last week, she introduced a Bill which sought to improve and strengthen current legislation around livestock attacks and has received the backing of farming and animal welfare organisations, as well as cross-party politicians.

The Protection of Livestock Bill was first created in 1953. Over the last 70 years it has become utterly outdated. The amendments presented by the SNP’s Ms Harper would give greater powers to the police to investigate and enforce the law, plus increasing penalties for dog owners who allow their dogs to attack or chase livestock.

Initially, Ms Harper proposed increased penalties of up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of £5,000 for offenders. However, opposition politicians have pushed for these to be increased further, to be consistent with new animal welfare and wildlife crime offences. The Scottish Government shares this view and has proposed that up to 12 months in jail and/or up to £40,000 fines should be made available to the courts.

Read more - Livestock attack offenders could face up to £40,000 fines

Also included in the Bill are proposals to extend the definition of livestock to include camelids, deer and buffalo which are not afforded protections in the current legislation.

During stage one of the Holyrood debate, Scottish Labour’s farming spokesperson Colin Smyth MSP referred to a UK Government report which found that two out of three incidents have occurred when the accused dogs have escaped from their house or garden. He quite rightly called for better public awareness of irresponsible dog ownership to be a priority alongside increased penalties.

Unfortunately, some members experienced internet connection issues during the debate and the vote had to be postponed. It was clear, however, from cross-party contributions, that it will receive unanimous support, with some key changes to be addressed during stage two.

Currently, many livestock owners feel powerless to protect their livestock and feel justice is rarely received. Ms Harper’s Bill brings huge hope to many, with pressure now on the Scottish Parliament to pass it in to law as quickly as possible.

With increased footfall in Scotland’s countryside expected with the ongoing Covid restrictions, I urge dog owners to think carefully when exercising their dogs and put them on a lead around livestock.

Only this morning, I was on the phone to a friend who farms near Auchincruive in Ayrshire. He was still in shock after a dog attacked his flock on Sunday afternoon – the third incident in six months. Two of his ewes were killed, one was severely injured, and the rest of the heavily pregnant flock were left traumatised.

The dog owner responsible fled from the scene, leaving my friend to pick up the pieces.

Lambing is just around the corner, stop and think of the potential devastation your dog could pose to a field of pregnant ewes.

Claire Taylor is The Scottish Farmer’s political affairs editor.

Our columns are a platform for writers to express their opinions. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Herald.