Dog walkers are being urged to take extra care when walking on the Hills and Commons as sheep and their lambs return to the Malvern Hills this week.
So far this year, 3 sheep have been killed by dogs on the Malvern Hills and more sheep have been injured. There are many more livestock worrying incidents, which including chasing, that go unreported to the Trust.
Beck Baker, Community and Conservation Officer, said ‘Sadly, dogs chasing and attacking sheep is still happening on the Malvern Hills and Commons.’
‘We’d like to remind dog walkers that any dog, big or small, docile or aggressive, has the potential to chase or kill livestock so all dogs should be kept on a lead near grazing cattle and sheep. The simple solution of putting a dog on a lead will help keep sheep and lambs safe.’
"Livestock worrying (including allowing your dog to chase livestock) is a crime and the police may be involved. In the worst cases, the dog may be destroyed. The best way to remove this risk is to keep you pet on a lead."
STOCKWATCH
To help dog walkers avoid the livestock or prepare to encounter livestock, the Malvern Hills Trust provides a weekly Stockwatch update with the locations of sheep and cattle within temporary electric fencing on the Hills and Commons.
Sheep and lambs can be found on East Worcestershire Beacon, West Perseverance Hill, British Camp to Swinyard and throughout Castlemorton and Hollybed Commons.
The public can view this on the Malvern Hills Trust website or sign up to receive weekly email alerts with the information. Stockwatch is also included each week in the Malvern Gazette.
SHEEP SAFE TRAINING
To help dog owners better understand their dogs and train their animals to ignore livestock, the Malvern Hills Trust are subsidising Sheep Safe dog training courses. The courses, with dog behaviourist Sue Harper are running through the spring and summer. Contact Sue by emailing sharperdogs[at]hotmail.co.uk for more information and to book a place.
CONSERVATION GRAZING
It should be noted that the Malvern Hills and Commons are registered common land so dog walkers should expect to encounter livestock anywhere at any time.
Livestock are an essential part of the management of the Malvern Hills and Commons. The cattle and sheep eat the bramble, scrub and young trees and this maintains the open grassland habitat. This keeps the landscape special and benefits the geology, archaeology, wildlife, and the access and views for visitors.
