Sheep - don't worry them

Ripponden Parish is a semi-rural area. Lambs will soon appear.

And sheep and lambs get stressed by dogs.

If you are a dog owner, you must keep your dog on the lead around sheep, even if you trust it to come to call.

Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to sheep, even if the dog doesn’t catch them. The stress of worrying by dogs can cause sheep to die, pregnant ewes to miscarry, and mismothering issues between ewes and lambs.

Remember: it is a criminal offence to allow a dog to worry sheep. Worrying includes attacking, barking at or chasing sheep, and, in some circumstances, a farmer is legally entitled to shoot your dog is it endangering their sheep.

Enjoy your dog walks. Keep sheep safe.