NFU Mutual is urging dog owners visiting the countryside this Easter holiday to keep their pets on the lead to avoid attacks on sheep and lambs.
The warning comes from the UK’s leading rural insurer as thousands of people plan a spring day out with their dogs in the countryside over the holiday period.
Latest figures from NFU Mutual estimate that farm animals worth almost £1.8 million were severely injured or killed in dog attacks in 2024, a fall of 26% compared to the previous year.
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.
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.
To prevent attacks 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