Shepherds at Blenheim Palace have asked dog owners to keep their dogs on leads.
The shepherds are asking owners to act responsibly in the run up to the lambing season, which will see Blenheim’s 1000-strong flock of Scotch mule sheep give birth.
The first lambs this year are due at the end of April.
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Charles Gerring, farm manager, said: “We would just like to remind everyone as we approach our lambing season, to please keep your dog on leads while visiting the estate.
“Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to our flock, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die and pregnant ewes to miscarry their lambs.”
Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, if a dog worries sheep on agricultural land, the person in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence.
This includes attacking sheep, chasing them in a way that may cause injury, suffering, miscarriage or loss of produce or not on a lead or being otherwise under close control in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.
In addition to putting up clear signage across the estate, Blenheim is also launching an online ‘ThankEwe’ campaign which aims to educate owners to the potential risks of losing control of their dogs around livestock.
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