| 2018-03-21 |    |
Get Involved in NSA Sheep Worrying Campaign
As sheep worrying cases continue to be publicised at an alarming rate, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is asking dog owners, together with the farming community, to unite in spreading positive messages on enjoying the British countryside responsibly.
Thanks to an increasingly social media savvy population, horrific cases of sheep worrying by dogs continue to be well-documented online. And with the potential to reach thousands, they serve as a powerful tool in highlighting the damage attacks cause.
Katie James, NSA Communications Support Officer, says:
“Sheep
worrying by dogs is a very serious problem for farmers which isn’t
going away, and NSA continues to hear of a frustratingly high number
of dog attacks on livestock. We do not want to discourage dog owners
from enjoying the beautiful landscapes in Britain, only to do so
responsibly and consider the impact an attack can have on farmers
business and livelihood as well as animal welfare.”
With the clocks going forward marking the ‘official’ start of British summertime, Sunday 25th March will mark the start of NSA’s week-long, targeted campaign. By spreading graphics, case studies and statistics, NSA is aiming to unite messages on promoting responsible dog ownership across Facebook and Twitter.
Katie continues:
“With the long-awaited arrival of spring, farmers can see
an increase in walkers on footpaths through and around fields. And at a time
when ewes are heavily pregnant or have young lambs at foot, the risk of dogs
chasing livestock can also increase the risk of serious problems like ewes
aborting or lambs becoming separated from their mothers.
“With the power of social media, we are hoping this campaign can go some way to raise awareness of the problem and ultimately help to reduce the amount of sheep worrying cases we hear about at the NSA.”
NSA is urging farmers, dog walkers and other interested parties to look out for our social media posts @natsheep on Facebook and Twitter throughout the week and encourage involvement using the industry recognised hashtag #takethelead as well as #shepherdselfie in posts both highlighting the problem and also showing how shepherds are working hard to tackle the issue and taking what steps they can to protect their flocks.
