Lambs at high risk of dog attacks as Easter falls late
18th April 2025
NFU Mutual has warned farmers that lambs are at high risk of dog attacks as Easter falls late this year.
The NFU Mutual has also urged dog owners visiting the countryside to keep their pets on the lead to avoid attacks on sheep and lambs.
The warning comes from the UK’s rural insurer as thousands of people plan a spring day out with their dogs in the countryside over the holiday period.
NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist Hannah Binns said: “This year Easter falls late which means most lambs will have been born and out in farmers’ fields, at their most vulnerable to attacks from out-of-control dogs.
“As a sheep farmer’s daughter, I’m well aware of the hard-work, time and emotion which goes into the lambing season, so it can be utterly heartbreaking for farmers and their families to witness these horrific incidents and deal with the aftermath.”
READ MORE: Farmers encouraged to report livestock worrying incidents to help raise awareness
‘All dogs are capable of chasing, injuring and killing farm animals’
NFU Mutual also found that 57% of owners let their dogs off lead in the countryside but, worryingly, only 40% admitted their pet always comes back when recalled.
A total of 43% believed their dog was capable of causing the death or injury of livestock, up 11% compared to the previous year’s survey.
And if present at an attack, just over half would intervene to stop it, while 20% would tell a local farmer and 17% would call the police.
“All dogs are capable of chasing, injuring and killing farm animals, regardless of breed, size or temperament. Dogs that attack farm animals are often impossible to call off, and bites can kill and seriously injure livestock,” Ms Binns added.
“Even if the dog does not make contact, being chased can cause stress and exhaustion, as well as separate young lambs from their mothers, which can lead to them being orphaned.
“The Easter holidays is a great opportunity to explore the Great British countryside, but people must remember these idyllic rural destinations are working environments, key to farmers’ livelihoods and home to millions of sheep and newborn lambs.
“We know many farmers in popular tourist areas dread Bank Holidays with many dog owners letting their pets run and play off-lead. Letting your dog off lead in an apparently empty field isn’t safe either: many attacks result from off-lead dogs attacking sheep which had been hidden from view by a hill or a dip in the ground.
“That’s why it’s so important dog owners act responsibly for their pet and keep them on a lead wherever livestock may be nearby,” the expert concluded.
READ MORE: Dog owner wanted following attack on 5-week-old lamb
How to prevent dog attacks?
To prevent dog attacks on farm animals, NFU Mutual is urging walkers to:
- Keep dogs on a lead when walking in rural areas where livestock are kept— but let go of the lead if chased by cattle.
- Be aware that all dogs, regardless of size, breed, and temperament, can cause the distress, injury and death of farm animals.
- Report attacks by dogs to the police or local farmers.
- Never let dogs loose unsupervised in gardens near livestock fields – many attacks are caused by dogs which escape and attack sheep grazing nearby.
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