AYRSHIRE rural organisations have teamed up with Police Scotland to highlight new legislation to protect farmers and livestock from dog attacks.

The Ayrshire Partnership Against Rural Crime and its partners were at Dumfries House on Sunday, April 10 to promote the new legislation which protects animals from dog attacks through a range of measures.

These include updating the livestock definition to include all other farmed animals alongside cattle and sheep with fines up to £40,000 and prison sentences for owners who let their pets worry, kill or injure farmed animals.

Ayrshire is very popular for dog walking and there has been an increasing numbers of farm animal attacks in the area.

In January, SPARC, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, launched the Livestock Attack and Distress campaign with the slogan: ‘Your Dog – Your Responsibility’ to educate dog owners about the new legislation plus, where applicable, use the new powers to report owners of dogs which attack livestock.

The campaign will run through the lambing season, when sheep and lambs are most vulnerable to attacks and will be then run again in the autumn.

Speaking at the event, NFU Scotland Ayrshire Regional Manager Christine Cuthbertson said: “We are lucky to have beautiful countryside in Ayrshire which includes the stunning Dumfries House Estate, but it is very much a working landscape. Easter is a time for the arrival of baby lambs and calves, and we ask that those taking access respect their own safety and that of expectant and new mums by avoiding fields with livestock and always having your dog on a lead or under very close control.”

Julie McLeish Inspector, Cumnock, Doon Valley and Irvine Valley said: “Attacks on livestock by dogs is an emotive issue that impacts on rural communities throughout Scotland and Ayrshire is no exception, therefore Police Scotland welcomes this new legislation which can hopefully assist in preventing, reducing and tackling such instances.

“Its introduction is timely given the increase in dog ownership experienced during COVID and the aim of the campaign is designed to educate and raise awareness amongst dog owners.”