By Mal Butler
A large dog savagely attacked a sheep last week – despite a police plea to owners to keep their pets on a lead, which was highlighted in the IW Observer last week.
The Wensleydale ewe, owned by West Wight Alpacas & Llamas in Wellow, had just been weaned from its lambs and was in a field in Gasworks Lane, Yarmouth.
Neil Payne, owner of the alpaca farm, speaking about the attack last Wednesday, said: “Words cannot express quite how angry I am. I am a dog owner and lover but please all of you think about this.
“These are very big sheep, the biggest domestic breed and a big dog has done this to them, not a smaller breed.
“Some thoughts for dog-owners, of which I am one. If your dog shows any interest in chasing livestock at all then keep it on a lead and put it in a muzzle when it is out and about.
“If you know it was your dog then put your hand up and offer to pay our vet costs and some of our time spent on her. We won’t judge you if you assure us that you will deal with this in the right way. If it’s the very local dogs – and we have no proof – that have a history of attacking both livestock and other dogs in the area, it’s time to deal with things.
“As much as you may love your dogs, once a dog has a taste for blood it’s difficult to stop and things are likely to escalate and it could be a child next.”
The owner or person in control of a dog which worries livestock can be prosecuted, and the dog can be shot by the farmer to end an attack.
Carole Dennett 
Tilly Walder