Peter Grant MP is reaching out to dog owners ahead of the school holidays and asking them to remember their responsibilities in a bid to prevent devastating attacks on livestock. The campaign to promote livestock safety has taken off in the last year with more and more people becoming aware of its aims.
The Glenrothes and Central Fife MP last year welcomed the consultation on a Members’ Bill to tackle livestock worrying, which was brought forward by Emma Harper MSP. The consultation looked to consolidate the various forms of legislation which relate to livestock worrying, to make it more understandable to dog owners, and to allow for the establishment of consequences for breaches of the proposed legislation.
Mr Grant became vocal on the issue of livestock worrying after a rise in the number of sheep being attacked by dogs in his Glenrothes and Central Fife constituency in 2018.
Commenting, Peter Grant MP said:
“I hope that dog owners will read and take seriously any livestock signs when walking their dog in the countryside this summer. Livestock attacks can not only traumatise the livestock but can also be very upsetting for the farmers and indeed the dog owner involved.
“I was pleased to see Emma Harper MSP’s consultation to strengthen legislation in the area of livestock worrying issued earlier this year, and I hope that everyone interested had an opportunity to respond to this.
“I am sure that farmers in my constituency and across Scotland will be pleased to learn that steps are now being taken to address livestock worrying, which bears a significant financial cost to the farmer and is also a very serious animal welfare issue.”