An inexperienced dog owner who bought a puppy in lockdown has been fined after her pet caused injuries to an expensive flock of sheep.
Tanya Johnston’s pandemic purchase, a Goldendoodle puppy called Biscuit, chased the £7,500 flock of seven Texel sheep around a field in the Milltimber area of Aberdeen.
The first-time dog owner’s pet left the pedigree breeding sheep so distressed several were left limping and one had a serious eye injury.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told how the 48-year-old NHS worker tried unsuccessfully best to recall her exuberant dog as she exercised it, off its lead, on farmland just off Culter House Road.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin said her efforts were to no avail at first as Biscuit ran wild chasing the flock of heavily-muscled sheep around the field.
She said two farmers were in the field at the time, at around 6pm on March 21 last year.
Flock left limping
“A dog entered the field from a nearby dirt track and started to attack the sheep by chasing them,” she said.
“At this point, the farmer moved his vehicle to try to protect the sheep from the dog by coming between them.
“The accused made several attempts to recall the dog by shouting the name ‘Biscuit’ and was eventually successful.
“She provided her details and a mobile number to the farmer. He thereafter inspected the livestock and noticed an eye injury to one of his sheep and limping to others.”
Johnston, who was not present at court, admitted owning a dog that worried sheep in the field causing injury and suffering to the livestock.
Defence Gregor Kelly said the puppy had been a lockdown purchase and his owner had done her best to train it without the aid of puppy classes during the pandemic.
“She is mortified,” he said. “She has never had any dealings with the law before.
“She had a young dog she had bought during lockdown. It was her first dog and she had tried her very best to school the dog.
“There had clearly been no puppy classes open to her during lockdown.”
‘She is mortified’
Mr Kelly argued there was no “attack” as such, given Biscuit didn’t bite any of the sheep, but accepted that the dog’s chasing would have “distressed” the flock.
“She contends there was no physicality between them but they were distressed and knocking into each other,” he said.
“These are expensive sheep and the recall of the dog was not great but she cooperated fully and left her details.
“She is mortified. She is a responsible person but her lack of responsibility on this occasion led to the distress of the sheep.
“Of course in these circumstances, the farmer would have been in his rights to have shot the dog.
“She apologises wholeheartedly to them.”
Sheriff David Clapham fined, Johnston, of Braehead Terrace, Milltimber, £210.
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force on in November last year to tackle the issue of out of controls dogs attacking and worrying livestock.
It brought with it an increase of potential penalties to a fine of £40,000 or 12 months imprisonment.
You can report any incidents by calling 101 or via an online Police Scotland form here.
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