Sheep worrying: Pet owners warned their dog may be ‘wolf in dogs clothing’

It also hopes to spread awareness of the affects loose dogs can have in the countryside through neospora in dumped dog poo and the costly fines for pet owners if convicted of the crime.

Alison Ruyter, a warden at Kent Wildlife Trust, said her own experience highlighted how every dog was capable and there were ‘no sizes or ages more likely to do it than others’.

She said: “My old dog spent her life pottering around our fields with the sheep. She never looked twice at them.

“Then one day we went to the lambing sheds on our friend’s farm – luckily she was on a lead, because all of a sudden she ‘switched on’.

‘A dog is never sheep proof’

“She caught a smell and was fixated. At the grand age of 16.”

Ms Ruyter wanted to encourage people ‘a dog is never sheep proof’, despite its previous experience or behaviour around livestock.

She added: “I have always found a sunny May bank holiday is always the flash point for livestock attacks on my sites. People are completely unprepared for their dog’s reaction to sheep, goats or cattle.”

Isobel Bretherton of NFU South East said more needed to be done to tackle the growing problem is livestock worrying.

“Of course, owners want to walk their dogs in the countryside, but they must be responsible and understand that farmers need to protect their animals and their livelihoods.”

To keep your dog out of trouble and spare the livestock any stress or harm:

• Take the lead and use it;
• Invest in a long or extendable lead to keep control;
• If you live near the land with livestock grazing it, make sure your dog cannot escape and take itself for walkies;
• Do not believe in the Poo Bag Fairy – dogs can pass on disease and pests, clean up and take it away;
• Talk about the problem of dog attacks so people understand the reality - do not leave this hidden –it is a crime. Mention it in the pub, at dinner, at events, at a wedding - do not miss any opportunity;
• Make sure people know that recently someone was fined £12,000 for their dog chasing sheep into a stream where they drowned.