MORE sheep have died of shock on the Isle of Wight — and police are appealing for witnesses.

Two sheep died and a third was injured, thought to be caused by a dog running loose, in a field near Carisbrooke Castle at some time between 10pm on Thursday and 3pm on Friday.

Police have asked for any witnesses to come forward by phoning 101, quoting the reference 44190118167.

The police stated: "It's not illegal to have a dog off a lead near livestock, but it is illegal to not have them under close control."

CLA Senior Adviser on the Isle of Wight Claire Bennett said: “We would advise owners to keep their dogs on a lead or under close control when walking through fields of livestock, particularly sheep at this time of year, and to always stick to public rights of ways.

“If you live near land with livestock in it, ensure that you know where your dog is at all times, and that your property is secure and that your dog can’t escape at any time.

“It is the owner’s responsibility to keep their dog under control and we are also raising awareness about the potential consequences of not doing so. Livestock worrying is a criminal offence and a fine of £1,000 can be handed out.

“It is important that every instance of livestock worrying is reported to the police. This will allow for a more accurate picture of the scale of the problem to be built up and assist the police and Government to determine what resources and powers are required in order to effectively tackle the problem.”

Where a dog is in the act of worrying livestock and there is, or is likely to be serious damage to those livestock, call police on 999. Alternatively, dial 101 to report an incident where the dogs are no longer present after an attack or to report problem dog behaviour. Photographs and videos of the worrying incident and/or the damage it caused can be extremely useful.

For more information about the CLA www.cla.org.uk/your-area/south-east/regional-news 

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