Latest news with #PhilStocker
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Dog owners warned to avoid sheep worrying incidents
The National Sheep Association (NSA) has issued the reminder as part of its summer campaign, warning that even brief moments of inattention can have serious consequences for flocks in rural areas. Phil Stocker, chief executive of the NSA, said: "We understand people want to enjoy the countryside with their dogs during the summer holidays, but we must stress the importance of being aware of the presence of livestock, even if it's not immediately obvious. "A dog running loose, even for a few seconds, can cause serious injury, stress or even death to sheep." Sheep worrying, where dogs chase or attack sheep, is a persistent problem across the UK and can lead to severe animal welfare issues, emotional distress for farmers, and significant financial loss. Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, it is a criminal offence for a dog to worry livestock. Farmers are legally permitted to shoot dogs found attacking their animals. Nicola Noble, NSA project manager, said: "Even the friendliest dog can cause panic in a flock of sheep, leading to serious injury or death. "Dog owners have a legal and moral responsibility to prevent that from happening." The NSA advises dog owners to always keep dogs on leads around sheep, stay on marked footpaths, and report any incidents of sheep worrying to the landowner or police. More information can be found on the NSA website.
Scotsman
21-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Appeal to keep dogs under control as peak summer season arrives
As the peak summer holiday season arrives, dog walkers are being reminded of the risk posed by their pet dogs to sheep they may meet on their countryside breaks. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... During walks in the countryside, it is not uncommon to come across grazing livestock, including sheep, and if a dog is being walked off lead an encounter could result in a devastating incident for all involved. Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive, said: 'Sheep worrying can do serious damage through stress and injury. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Many sheep fleeing from dogs are often killed or seriously injured by their panicked attempts to escape. The NSA is providing advice for all dog owners. 'The loss of sheep can be deeply distressing to farmers, causing ongoing worry and also significant financial losses.' The fine weather experienced so far this summer may mean more people choosing to stay in the UK to enjoy a summer holiday alongside their dogs. NSA, a charity representing UK sheep farmers, is concerned this could increase the number of incidents. Mr Stocker continued: 'Sheep farmers continue to be affected by attacks on their flocks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is crucially important that dog owners must be aware of the serious issue of sheep worrying by dogs and take action to be a responsible dog owner whilst enjoying their holidays this summer.' Dog walkers are being urged to keep their pets on leads, no matter how obedient they consider their pet to be, and NSA is also highlighting the potential consequences for dog owners found to be responsible following progress with a long-awaited amendment to legislation. Nicola Noble, NSA policy manager, said: 'The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill has now successfully passed its stage in the House of Commons. 'This bill enhances the authority of the police to act in cases of livestock worrying and also expands the range of locations where offences can occur to include roads and public paths, thereby offering increased protection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is important for dog owners to know that the bill aims to increase the maximum penalty and so not only could their actions result in harm to animals attacked, in the near future it could also result in increased financial penalties for themselves.' Advice can be found at
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Ending sheep farming in the Lake District is not our aim
Phil Stocker's letter (12 June) defends sheep farming against an attack that doesn't exist. Nowhere in the Guardian article he is responding to (Conservationists call for Lake District to lose Unesco world heritage status, 7 June) does anyone call for 'sheep farming's demise'. Neither the letter I sent to Unesco nor the report that I co-authored, both referred to in the article, call for it either. Instead, we're raising concerns about the Lake District's world heritage site designation, which poses a major threat to exactly the sort of adaptation that Mr Stocker says he wants and that most farmers know is coming. None of the farmers I've spoken to could name a single benefit of being in a world heritage site. Most people won't be aware of the downsides, but for those of us working in conservation, they are obvious. The designation is influencing decisions by the national park authority, which views every element of the park's management through a world heritage lens and puts sheep farming first, often at the expense of rural livelihoods and nature. We are not attacking farming or anybody's culture, and it's a pity that this is how Stocker and many others, including the MP Tim Farron, have interpreted it. For farmers and conservationists to be at loggerheads is madness. Once the dust settles, I hope we will be able to sit down and have some sensible discussion about these issues and how to resolve them. As Mr Stocker attests, farming has played a key role in the history of the Lake District, and it will have a vital role to play in its future, but only if it is allowed to adapt. Removing the world heritage site designation, or amending it to reflect the urgency of the climate crisis, will help that transition to take SchofieldBampton, Cumbria Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Independent
24-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Warning for farmers after first case of bird flu discovered in a sheep
A case of bird flu in sheep has been confirmed for the first time on a farm where the disease had been found in poultry, the UK chief vet has said. The case in a single sheep was identified with repeat positive milk testing following routine surveillance of livestock on a premises in Yorkshire where avian influenza H5N1 had been confirmed in captive birds. It was found in monitoring of livestock on infected farms in the wake of the outbreak of the disease in dairy cows in the US. The infected sheep was humanely culled and no further infection was detected in the remaining flock, the Government said. It is the first time the virus has been reported in a sheep, but officials said it was not the first time bird flu had been found in livestock in other countries, and there was no increased risk to the UK's farm animal population. But they called on all farmers and livestock keepers to be vigilant and practise good biosecurity measures to protect their animals and prevent further spread if there is an outbreak. UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: 'We have confirmed the detection of influenza of avian origin (H5N1) in a single sheep on a farm in Yorkshire. 'Strict biosecurity measures have been implemented to prevent the further spread of disease. 'While the risk to livestock remains low, I urge all animal owners to ensure scrupulous cleanliness is in place and to report any signs of infection to the Animal Plant Health Agency immediately.' The National Sheep Association (NSA) stressed the case was confined to one small holding and was not a food security risk. NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: 'This is not a threat to food safety of consumers and it's very important to make that clear. 'What this shows though is the importance of biosecurity and an understanding of what biosecurity means. 'In the sheep industry, we often think the term just refers to buying in stock, but in this instance sheep and poultry have mixed on the same farm, resulting in the transmission of avian influenza.' He added mixing of stock should be avoided when parts of England was undergoing mandatory housing for poultry due to bird flu outbreaks. Professor Ian Brown, group leader at the Pirbright Institute, a leading centre for studying animal disease, said the detection on bird flu in a sheep which has had close contact with infected birds was 'not an unexpected finding'. 'It is too early to consider whether such virus is capable of onward spread within sheep but this was an isolated small holding with a small number of birds and sheep.' But he added: 'It does emphasise the importance of separating species and maintaining good farm hygiene.'
New York Times
24-03-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Bird Flu Found in Sheep in U.K., a World First
Bird flu has infected a sheep in Britain in what the government on Monday described as the first case of its kind reported anywhere in the world. While avian influenza had already been detected in cattle and other mammals, including in the United States, the infection of a sheep will increase concern over the potential impact of the disease's spread. In a statement, Britain's government said that avian origin flu (or H5N1) had been found in a ewe during what it called 'routine surveillance' of livestock in Yorkshire in the north of England, where cases had been confirmed in captive birds. 'All affected birds and the infected ewe were humanely culled to mitigate the risk of further disease spread,' the statement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said. 'Further official testing of the remaining flock of sheep at the premises, including the lambs of the affected ewe, were negative for the presence of avian influenza virus.' Britain's chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, said that strict biosecurity measures had been put in place to prevent the further spread of disease but urged owners of animals to 'ensure scrupulous cleanliness is in place,' and to report any signs of infection to the authorities. Transmission of bird flu to humans is relatively rare, although one case was reported in January in England's West Midlands in a person who was said to have been in proximity to sick birds on a farm. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that there have been 70 confirmed human cases since 2024. The virus is spread through contact with infected birds or other species, including through touching their droppings and bedding, although people can also catch the virus by killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking. Avian flu has been detected in cattle, in the United Sates, with the Centers for Disease Control reporting 41 cases and 989 dairy herds affected as of Friday. Other animals, including cats, foxes and pigs, have also been known to contract the virus, althoug though the addition of sheep to that list will add to the concern. Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, which represents British sheep farmers, said that the case did not pose a threat to food safety but raised questions about farming different kinds of animals in the same location. 'In this instance sheep and poultry have mixed on the same farm, resulting in the transmission of avian influenza,' he said in a statement. Meera Chand, emerging infection lead at the U.K.'s health security agency, said that while 'globally, we continue to see that mammals can be infected with avian influenza,' the 'current evidence suggests that the avian influenza viruses we're seeing circulating around the world do not spread easily to people — and the risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low.'
