DARTMOOR Livestock Protection Society this week praised MPs for acknowledging the serious issue of dog attacks on livestock.

The DLPS has been commenting on the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) committee report on dog control and welfare, published last Friday.

The DLPS submitted evidence to the committee last June.

Marion Saunders, chairman of the society, said: 'We expressed our concern about the increase in sheep-worrying cases, particularly on the Dartmoor Commons.

'DEFRA has responded with an emphatic directive to enforcement agencies, such as the police and local authorities, to give greater priority to complaints of livestock attacks and for there to be consistency in prosecuting offences.

'We are fortunate that Tavistock police officers already take a serious view of livestock attacks but the same cannot be said of the police in some other areas.

'On Dartmoor, the 1985 Commons Act enables the Dartmoor National Park Authority to post notices stating that it is an offence for dogs to worry livestock on the commons.

'We should like the authority to make use of this provision to protect livestock from dogs.

'There is no such provision on common land outside the national park, and we called on the DEFRA committee to recommend that access authorities — county and unitary councils — have the power to make it an offence to worry livestock on common land in their areas.

'We shall continue to press the Dartmoor National Park Authority and the police to prosecute owners who allow their dogs to worry livestock.'

Ms Saunders said the society's livestock protection officer, Karla McKechnie, was on call to respond to anyone witnessing sheep-worrying.

'With the lambing season approaching, this is particularly pertinent,' said Ms Saunders.

Anyone witnessing incidents of sheep worrying or attacks on livestock should call Karla McKechnie on 07873 587561.

The Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society (DLPS) was founded in 1963.

DLPS helps sick and injured ponies, sheep and cattle on Dartmoor and the animal casualties of moorland road accidents. DLPS is actively involved with the problem of out-of-control dogs and sheep-worrying on the common land.