DAY 40: TVP work with MOD to eliminate people walking their dogs near livestock in West Oxfordshire

The Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Local Policing Area (LPA) began the Force’s winter phase of the 100 days of action to tackle rural crime.

Once again, each of the rural policing areas within the Thames Valley will conduct five days of intensive, proactive policing activity devoted to tackling the crimes which effect the farming and agricultural communities.

While the operations throughout the summer concentrated on communicating with the farming communities, raising awareness of the work we are doing and sharing specific crime prevention advice  to help you protect your land and business premises, the winter phase will focus more on the criminal offences and the people who commit them.

Your local police officers will be targeting offenders and suspicious people and vehicles conducting high visibility patrols, particularly during the dark evenings and mornings, and there will certainly be opportunities for partnership patrols between Thames Valley Police officers and farmers, land owners and game keepers.

Today saw the Banbury Rural Neighbourhood officers team up with the Ministry of Defence at Barford St John and patrol the area to try and eliminate people exercising and running their dogs in the fields where livestock are being kept. Livestock worrying and death as well as hare coursing have been reported in the area recently.

‘

Worrying’ is when a dog attacks or chases livestock in a way that could cause injury, suffering, abortion or the loss of produce.

It is a criminal offence:

• For a dog to be kept off a lead in a field of sheep
• For a dog to worry livestock on agricultural land
• If an owner or person in control of the dog at the time allows the dog to worry livestock on agricultural land

Advice:

Dog owners should remember to keep their pets under control at all times and ensure they are kept on a close lead when walking anywhere near livestock. Farmers, although they may be reluctant to do so, can shoot a dog which is caught worrying sheep and dog owners could be liable to prosecution and a heavy fine!

If you see someone who is walking their dog off the lead near livestock, or see a dog who is being allowed to worry sheep, this is a crime in progress and you can dial 999 straight away.

The team also visited six farms to arrange security marking of tools and garden items for later in the week. To speak to your neighbourhood team, use the postcode search on the website and send them an email, or dial 101 and ask to speak to someone from your local neighbourhood policing team.