THE shocking and devastating images circulating once again of sheep which have been savagely attacked by dogs and died as a result come as a timely warning to those wishing to enjoy the countryside this Easter break, says the FUW.

With the weather improving and the Easter holidays underway, many people are going to visit the countryside to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery in Wales, but with lambing in full swing the Farmers’ Union of Wales is asking dog walkers to take extra care to reduce the risks to heavily pregnant ewes and newly born lambs.

“There are never-ending incidents of sheep being attacked across the country and this is why we are calling on the support of the public to help minimise incidents of attacks on livestock by dogs once again,” said FUW president Glyn Roberts.

“The weather is warming up and many people want to visit the countryside, so we are appealing to dog owners to follow the Countryside Code to keep their dogs under close control, preferably on a lead when using public paths where livestock are present.”

“Sheep suffer greatly when they are chased, worried or attacked by dogs, and even slight disturbance can lead to ewes running away from lambs, leaving them orphaned."

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday