Man and woman charged after sheep worrying incident
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POLICE Scotland are warning dog owners to keep their pets under control following an incident near Forres.
A 32-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman have been charged following alleged sheep worrying by a dog at a farm in the Dunphail area.
The incident happened on April 27 and three sheep died as a result.
PC Jeanette Thompson said: "We would like to remind dog owners and people walking dogs in the countryside to keep their animals under control.
"All dogs should be kept on a lead when being walked next to livestock. Sheep and lambs are particularly vulnerable at this time of year and this incident could have been avoided had the owners had their dog on a lead.
"Even those animals not directly attacked can suffer stress causing miscarriage and death. It does not matter how trained you think your dog is it only takes a moment for it to enter a field which has consequences for the farmer, owner and ultimately the dog."
She added: "We would also remind dog owners that farmers are legally entitled to protect their livestock which can result in the destruction of a dog by shooting it. While no farmer wishes to resort to this option it is an option available and one that could quite easily be avoided if owners ensure that they have proper control of their dogs."
Anyone with concerns should report them to the police on 101.
The man and woman have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
