DOG owners face prosecution if they allow their animals to attack sheep on Dartmoor, Inspector Nick Rogers of Tavistock police warned this week.
His stark message follows a recent spate of sheep deaths caused by dogs ? in the last month four sheep are reported to have been killed at Magpie Bridge between Grenofen and Horrabridge, with a further nine deaths near Postbridge.
Inspector Rogers said: ?There?s a liability on the person who doesn?t exercise proper control over their dog. It?s an offence to let a dog interfere with livestock in any way, and the owner is fully liable.
?When we receive reports of dogs which have caused injury or trauma to sheep, I expect my officers to follow up with a view to prosecuting the owner who has allowed it to happen.?
John Hodge, chairman of Dartmoor Commoners, said the only remedy was to keep all dogs on a lead when walking on the moors. ?It?s a very big problem with no easy answers,? he said. ?People don?t realise the damage their dogs can cause. I can only see the problem getting worse because people object to putting their dogs on a lead.
?Part of the problem is people visiting the moors who don?t realise the sheep belong to anyone.?
One West Devon couple are considering moving away from Dartmoor because they are fed up with finding sheep which have been savaged or terrorised by dogs.
Chris and Pam Hood, who live at Magpie Bridge, say the time has come to sell up, after they came to the assistance of two sheep last weekend, both believed to have been attacked by dogs.
Chris said he and his wife regularly find distressed and injured sheep which have been chased or mauled by dogs.
He said: ?We are always pulling dead sheep out of the river or the leat after they?ve run in there to escape from dogs.
?When a sheep sees a dog approaching it will instinctively run away and this encourages the dog to give chase.
?As far as the dog is concerned it?s all a game, but for the sheep it?s a matter of life and death. It happens all the time and we?ve just had enough,?
Farmer Richard Cole, who grazes sheep on West Dartmoor, said: ?I had three killed at the weekend, and that?s just the ones we know about.
?It?s an ongoing problem which is worse at this time of the year, because many of the sheep are carrying lambs.
?I believe the owner is as much to blame as the dog. Ideally, I would like to see all dogs kept on a lead when they?re on the common.?
Ann Anderson, secretary of Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society, said the organisation received many calls about dogs attacking sheep.
She said: ?We have produced posters urging dog walkers to keep their pets on the lead around livestock, which people are welcome to put up in their particular areas.
?We would ask anyone who finds an injured animal to contact the nearest vet in the first instance and to make a note of the colour mark so the farmer can be traced.
?They can contact us by telephoning 01364 773121, and we will pay the first vet?s bill in each case.?
Under the 1953 Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act, an owner found guilty of failing to control their dog could face a fine of up to £1,000 and an order for the dog to be controlled properly. Failure to comply could lead to the dog being destroyed.