By Gilly Fraser
A new report by researchers at Scotland’s rural college is calling for much tougher legislation to be brought in to protect livestock from being attacked by dogs.
This follows a survey by the National Sheep Association which found that sheep worrying tops the league for the most frequently occurring rural crime.
The SRUC report says higher fines are needed for dog-related offences and also calls for a complete review of the current guidance.
Workshops with countryside rangers, dog training experts and farmers concluded that the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) needs be to made clearer and less ambiguous. This includes removing the option of keeping a dog under ‘close control’ and using only the term ‘keeping it on a short lead’.
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