Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the finding in research by NFU Mutual, published on 7 February 2023, that 39 per cent of dog owners surveyed stated that their dog does not always respond to their command to return; if she will take steps to increase the number of dogs receiving training to prevent sheep worrying; and whether her Department has conducted research on the potential impact of such training on the number of dog attacks on sheep.

In December 2021, Defra published research in collaboration with Middlesex University investigating measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. In response to this research, we have established a Responsible Dog Ownership working group involving police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations which is considering the report’s recommendations, including those relating to dog training. This research did not specifically address the impact of training on the number of dog attacks on sheep.

Currently it is an offence for a person to allow their dog to chase or attack livestock on any agricultural land – that includes where a dog is at large in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep.

The Government maintains that it is best practice to keep a dog on a lead around livestock. The Countryside Code advises dog walkers to always check local signs as there are situations where this is already a legal requirement for all or part of the year.