Dog walkers urged to help protect Dartmoor livestock

Dog walkers visiting Dartmoor National Park are being urged to protect new-born livestock and breeding birds by keeping their dogs on leads.

Livestock worrying is a major concern in the national park, according to the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society society’s figures, there have already been 17 livestock worrying incidents this year so far. In 2021, there was a total of 108  – the highest since 2018.

Ranger Team Manager, Simon Lee, said: “It’s a fantastic time to visit Dartmoor; everything is bursting into life and the weather is generally milder, but it’s also a busy time for the animals and birds which call Dartmoor home too. Wherever you want to go, it’s a really good idea to keep your dog on a short lead, especially around livestock.

“We highly recommend people follow our Love Moor Life Ranger Code when out and about. If we all do our bit, we can keep the National Park special.”

Livestock Protection Officer, Karla McKechnie, said: “It’s so important that people keep dogs on leads around livestock,” said Karla. “There’s no excuse for dogs not being under control and it’s not OK to leave animals suffering. If anyone sees a dog worrying animals, we’d encourage them to report it straight away.”