Police appeal after 34 pregnant sheep die in dog attack near Louth

Police are appealing for information after 34 sheep died following a dog attack near Louth in what has been described as a devastating incident for a Lincolnshire farmer. According to Lincolnshire Police, the attack happened in a field west of Haugham Road near Tathwell on 13 February. Four sheep were killed at the scene, while the rest later died from shock and injuries linked to the incident. The force said all of the animals were pregnant, adding to both the welfare impact and the financial blow.

The loss to the farmer has been estimated at between £10,000 and £15,000. For rural communities across the county, the case is a stark reminder of the damage livestock worrying can cause in an area where farming remains central to daily life and the local economy. Villages around the Lincolnshire Wolds, including those near Louth, sit alongside working farmland, footpaths and quiet lanes regularly used by dog walkers. That closeness between countryside access and livestock fields can bring risks when dogs are not kept under control.

Det Con Aaron Flint, a wildlife crime officer with Lincolnshire Police, said incidents of this kind are deeply harmful for farmers both emotionally and financially. He also stressed that livestock worrying is a serious offence and that owners must make sure their dogs are properly controlled at all times. Police warned that even dogs that are usually calm and well behaved can chase or attack farm animals if given the chance. The force also highlighted that physical injury is not the only issue under the law.

Causing distress or chasing livestock can also amount to an offence. The appeal comes as new legislation has come into force this week, strengthening powers around livestock worrying. The updated law means dog owners can face unlimited fines if their pets attack livestock. It also gives police the power to take DNA samples from dogs suspected of attacking, chasing or causing distress to farm animals.

The legal changes update rules that had remained in place for more than 70 years, reflecting long-running concern in farming areas about the effect of uncontrolled dogs on sheep and other livestock. In Lincolnshire, where lambing season is a particularly sensitive time on many farms, the deaths of pregnant ewes are likely to be felt especially sharply. Beyond the immediate loss, such attacks can have lasting consequences for flocks and for farmers already working under financial pressure. Anyone with information about the incident near Tathwell is being asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.