§ 14. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about sheep worrying, particularly in view of the number of pregnant ewes at this time of the year.
§ Mrs. FennerMy Department will continue to give publicity to this serious problem and to the commonsense preventive measures that can be taken by dog owners, particularly during the critical period before lambing. Existing legislation has recently been strengthened by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which imposes a specific responsibility upon owners to control their dogs when in the vicinity of sheep.
§ Mr. BennettWill the Minister confirm that the Department has now stopped collecting statistics on sheep worrying and that this is unfortunate? Will she also remind dog owners what may seem an attractive little pet in the owner's home may become a savage wolf causing great damage to sheep in all sorts of ways when it strays?
§ Mrs. FennerThe last figures that I have were that in 1978 nearly 4,000 sheep were killed and about 3,000 were 534 injured by dogs. I can reassure the hon. Gentleman by saying that when the new provision comes into effect on 16 February we shall do all that we can to draw the attention of dog owners to it. Many of them behave in an extremely responsible way with their dogs, but we wish to ensure that people understand the dangers of carelessness and irresponsibility when in the vicinity of sheep.