THE POST of livestock protection officer on Dartmoor has proved so successful that it is being extended to September 2010.

Part-time ranger Jane Cole was appointed last autumn by Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society (DLPS)with the Dartmoor Commoners' Association and Dartmoor National Park helping out with finance and administration.

The role was created to try and bring the number of sheep worrying incidents under control and to reduce the number of accidents on the moor involving animals.

At a recent meeting of Dartmoor Commoners' Council secretary Cherry Seage said the number of dog incidents had dropped dramatically on Roborough Down but Whitchurch Common, Cox Tor and Princetown were also being targeted.

Mrs Cole had been doing a great job talking to dog walkers and logging incidents of dog attacks on sheep and accidents.

She had identified 'hot spots' at Cox Tor where it had been agreed that information and posters would be placed on the ice-cream van to raise awareness of the issues and provide advice to dog owners, and at Roborough Down where it had been accepted that vegetation clearance would help reduce the number of accidents involving ponies on a fast road.

More than 2,000 leaflets had been handed out and dog training classes to make owners aware of their responsibilities when walking dogs on the moor.

Mrs Cole's employment was due to end in June but funding from the commoners' council and the livestock protection society of £10,000 had extended the post to 2010. This would ensure some worthwhile work took place across the national park, the commoners' council was told.

Mrs Cole said there had not been many sheep attacks but it still happened: 'There was one recently where a sheep's throat was ripped out but it was still alive. It is horrific and it is my job to make people aware of the problem.

'I only work 14 hours a week and Dartmoor is a huge area so it is very difficult to catch someone in the act. It has to be self-policing to a certain extent with the responsible dog owners educating the irresponsible ones.'

She said most of the ewes were in-lamb on the moor at the moment and any chasing was enough to cause a sheep to abort a lamb. The recommendation at this time was to keep all dogs on a short lead.

She urged farmers to contact her to report any incidents and members of the public who saw sheep in distress to contact her with the location and colour markings of the sheep so they could be identified.

Her biggest job was to bridge the gap between the farmers whose livelihood was being affected and the people who used the moor for recreational purposes.

'It is very frustrating for farmers who not only have the financial consequences of losing animals and paying for them to be taken away but it is also very upsetting for them to see their livestock suffer in this way.'

Drivers are being asked to keep to the 40mph speed limit on the moor. They should be aware that lambs will be following ewes and ponies are being attracted to the road by the salt which still remains on the verges after the recent snow.

Chairman of the livestock protection society Marion Saunders said Mrs Cole was a vital person of contact between the farmers and the public who used the common who often had no experience of livestock.

'Often, people do not appreciate what can happen when their dogs are running free and out of sight,' she said.

'Jane has a wealth of knowledge on both the farming and veterinary side and can speak from experience.

'She is also good with meeting people and hopefully the message is starting to get out there.'