Second dog attack and this time it’s fatal

I reported on Tuesday about the horrific dog attack on my favourite mule sheep. Unfortunately on Tuesday night another attack occurred where my Ryeland Ewe wasn’t as lucky. Unlike my Hexham Blackface Mule, the Ryeland breed isn’t as strong and fast on their feet.

To find a dead ewe is horrific but to see a lamb nestled into her dead mum is horrid. How can anyone let their dogs attack and kill an innocent animal? Not only is it wrong and inhumane, it’s a massive financial cost to a farmer. The financial loss isn’t just what I paid for the ewe, its all the time invested in looking after her throughout pre- and post-lambing, injections, feed and fuel checking on the flock every day.

More infuriating is that this ewe was my last to lamb. She was the only one to have a difficult birth. If I hadn’t intervened in the birth, she’d have died and the lamb too. I was able to save her and get the lamb back to life. Nothing can be more rewarding as a new farmer, which kicks me harder when I find her dead.

If only people would be less selfish and consider others. Training your dog isn’t that hard. In fact no matter how well behaved your dog is, you should always put your dogs on a lead around livestock. It’s the sensible and considerate thing to do.

If you need help training your dogs then please call me or visit my training website and find out how I can help. https://www.tessleymoorgundogs.co.uk/

Posted: May 18, 2022