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Vets in the UK have suggested that dogs which were bought as puppies during the COVID-19 pandemic are a threat to sheep.
A recent British Veterinary Association (BVA) survey found that half of UK vets have reported a rise in the number of clients concerned about their dogs’ increasingly aggressive behaviour over the last 12 months.
The vets reported that 87% of the dogs showing increased aggressive behaviour are under three years of age, indicating a correlation with a pandemic puppy boom.
The BVA highlighted estimates that some 3.2m households in the UK acquired a pet in the first year of the pandemic, with the proportion of people owning a dog increasing when compared with early 2020.
It said that those who bought a puppy during the pandemic were more likely to be first-time dog owners and were less likely to seek out a breeder that performed health testing on their breeding dogs or view their puppy in person.
Spike in sheep worrying
The National Sheep Association (NSA) in the UK said the veterinary dog aggression statistics are to blame for a spike in sheep worrying attacks by dogs post-pandemic.
The association said the issue of dog attacks has been of “growing concern during recent years”.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker warned that with dog ownership increasing so significantly during the pandemic, it is no surprise that the UK is seeing more dog attacks.
“Action must be taken to educate people about the responsibilities of dog owners and to strengthen both the law and law enforcement around protecting livestock.
“With 29% of the UK population now owning a dog, there is little surprise sheep farmers are regularly faced with the distress of sheep worrying attacks.
“As dogs are natural predators, they will often follow their instincts to chase sheep if given the opportunity.
"Chasing and barking, as well as physical attacks, can be enough to severely distress sheep with often devastating consequences,” he added.
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