The total cost of livestock worrying in the UK rose by 67% to £1.6m over the last two years, data from NFU Mutual shows. As you can see from the table, Scotland has witnessed the most significant increase in claims between 2015 and 2017. Meanwhile the average cost of a claim rose by over 50% to nearly £1,300.

Over 80% of dog owners exercise their pets in the countryside, with over 60% letting them roam off the lead, NFU Mutual research shows. .Just 7% of dog owners admitted that their pets had chased livestock in the past.

“The number of incidents reported to NFU Mutual shows only part of the picture, as not all farmers have insurance in place to cover livestock worrying,” Tim Price, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, said. “As the insurer of nearly three-quarters of the UK’s farmers and many hobby farmers, we are sadly all too aware of the heartbreak and huge financial loss that dog attacks cause.”