New dog attack law launched in Inveraray

An Argyll partnership has been praised at an Inveraray event promoting new laws covering dog attacks on livestock - but their efforts stemmed from a scene of horror four years ago.

 

On March 7, 2018, dogs attacked sheep in a field near Inveraray, leaving carnage behind them.

 

Farmer Brian Walker discovered the scene on his feeding rounds that morning.

 

In total, four sheep were killed by being driven into a burn and drowned, seven had to be put down due to the extent of their injuries and six survived and were treated for facial and other wounds.

 

At the time Mr Walker, of Carloonan Farm, said: 'I have experienced attacks by dogs before, but this was one of the worst I have ever seen. Every sheep attacked had its face ripped open. It wasn't a pleasant sight.'

 

But it was only after a second attack on Mr Walker's sheep - exactly a week later -  this time caught in the act, that the dogs' owner was charged with offences under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. He pleaded guilty, yet in sentencing the court was limited to an 80-hour community payback order, nor could the sheriff ban him from keeping dogs.

 

That same year Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, was championing new legislation in the Scottish Parliament on livestock 'worrying'. Mr Walker contacted her to offer his support.

 

In December that year a summit meeting was held at Carloonan to highlight what was missing in the legislation.

 

Present were Emma Harper, representatives from Argyll and Bute Council, local vets, the SSPCA, Scottish Government, Police Scotland, NFU Scotland and the National Sheep Association and former Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell.

 

Meanwhile agencies in Argyll, led by PC (now sergeant) Ben Rusden and Graham Hatton, Argyll and Bute Council environmental enforcement officer, got together to form a group aimed at raising awareness of the issue under the banner 'Your Dog - Your Responsibility'.

 

All the hard work came to fruition when, in November 2021, the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force.

 

This includes amendments to the penalties people can face, including a fine of up to £40,000 or 12 months' imprisonment.

 

The legislation now covers a wider range of animals - cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, camelids, ostriches, farmed deer and enclosed game birds or poultry.

 

There was a symmetry to the fact that the first local launch event of a national awareness-raising campaign was held on February 11 - back at Carloonan.

 

Ms Harper said at the event: 'Four-and-a-bit years ago we started out, and it looked like a hard slog ahead.

 

'But here we are - we can't believe we've got the legislation through parliament. There are now so many more tools available in the toolbox to deal with minor dog attacks up to the really serious cases like the one Brian Walker had a few years ago.

 

'Education is going to be key in this, so that when people come from other parts of the country they know our legislation is different and livestock worrying and attacks are really serious.'

 

Lochgilphead police's Sergeant Rusden said: 'From my point of view the legislation's really balanced. It's pitched at the right level for today's society. From a policing point of view we now have better penalties we can use.'

 

Mr Hatton said: 'One thing that has come out of the worst attacks I've seen in 30 years is that a disparate group of agencies came together to try to improve matters.

 

'One thing that's worth stressing here is that the dog is never at fault. It's always the owner. No exceptions; no excuses. In the past, the dog often paid the price while the human didn't learn anything.'

 

Ms Harper praised the work done in Argyll and thanked all the agencies involved for helping her take forward the legislation, adding: 'The previous legislation dated from nearly 70 years ago. At that time there were no alpacas in Scotland - things have changed.'

 

Nothing would have changed, said Mr Walker, without bringing people on the ground together.

 

'That's what generated the force behind it,' he continued. 'People like police officers and council officials highlighting what was missing in the law, and in their toolbox, to go and solve the problem.'