11 Aug 2025
A course run by Blue Cross has been an ‘outstanding success’ in reducing livestock attacks, a senior police officer has said.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
A senior police officer has praised an animal charity’s award-winning initiative for its “major contribution” to reducing dog attacks on livestock.
Specific training relating to dogs and livestock has now been rolled out across the UK as part of the Responsible Dog Ownership Course (RDOC) run by Blue Cross.
The new module was launched in Wales, where the project recently received a Welsh Government Rural Project of the Year award last September.
Participants can be referred to the programme, which the charity said offers an instructional alternative to criminal prosecutions, by police or council officers either to prevent an incident or reduce the risks of re-offending.
Rob Taylor, livestock attack lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said: “The partnership with Blue Cross has been an outstanding success and a major contribution to our fight against livestock attacks throughout the UK.
“Livestock attacks by dogs in the UK are a significant issue and this course is playing a major part in helping us to reduce those and help support our farming communities and dog owners alike.”
Blue Cross education officer Jason Cortis said: “Our work with the Welsh Government has strengthened the livestock worrying and countryside safety content within RDOC.
“It now forms part of a wider, fully integrated course covering legislation, responsible ownership, training, and support for dog owners involved in incidents.”
The presentation came as a Private Members’ Bill which seeks to impose tougher penalties for livestock worrying, as well as giving police greater powers to tackle it, completed its passage through the House of Commons.
BVA junior vice-president Rob Williams said the measures proposed in the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill are “vital proposed updates” that “will better protect farmed animals.”
The scale of the problem has also been highlighted by a National Sheep Association survey in which 87% of respondents reported experiencing a dog attack on their flock in the previous 12 months.
More than four in 10 (43%) reported having to euthanise sheep due to the severity of their injuries, while the average number of sheep killed in a single attack had increased since 2023, with one respondent reporting 44 animals being killed in a single incident.
