Carlisle court has heard how a Schnauzer dog attacked and worried sheep in a field at Beckstones Farm, Caldbeck on Sunday January 5.
Mrs Sally Anne Massingham, aged 51, pleaded guilty today [TUES] at North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court to a charge of “owner of a dog worrying livestock”.
District Judge John Temperley was told how Massingham had the dog off a lead and the dog started to bite and chase sheep in the field, around 74-sheep were in the field.
The farmer’s wife was driving by the field and noticed the sheep were all flocked together and the dog running wild, the owner of the dog was told to get it under control but she couldn’t, eventually the dog was caught.
The court was told Massingham and her son were walking through the field to cross over the river the meet up with another of her dogs.
The court was told £1,119 compensation is sought for vets bills and other charges to get the ewes tested. The farmer lost at least 7 lambs, but the number could be higher.
Mrs Massingham from Millhouse, Hesket New Market, nr Wigton, apologised but didn’t agree that some ewes were bitten and the compensation total was excessive, there was no evidence that lambs were lost because of this incident, her dog was on a lead but managed to slip away.
On sentencing the judge explained that as it couldn’t been shown that the loss of lambs were down to this incident alone, she would have to pay a lesser compensation of £700.
