The mother, a white-faced woodland sheep, sadly lost an early pregnancy in the Autumn when she was attacked by an out-of-control dog. It was thought she would not produce offspring this year due to the stress of the attack, so livestock checkers were pleasantly surprised to see the late arrivals at the weekend, 24th June. 

While the birth is good news, it is a poignant reminder of the importance of keeping dogs on the lead when walking them in the countryside. Statistics released by Kent Police following a freedom of information request show that dog attacks in the county have risen by over 12.5% in the last five years with 878 incidents reported in 2017 compared with 988 in 2022. 

The rise has led to the Trust releasing a training video outlining how to walk dogs safely in the countryside whilst also offering in-person training for responsible owners. 

Kent Wildlife Trust Area Warden Holly Savage said: “We are all delighted that this ewe has given birth, she suffered the terrible trauma of a dog attack, and we were not expecting her to produce any lambs this year. She has been through an awful lot” 

Unfortunately, one of the lambs passed away a few days after the birth, whilst this is sad it is not unusual, however, the other is doing well and getting stronger each day. 

Holly continued: “Whilst we are all pleased this sheep managed to carry another pregnancy and give birth, it really does highlight the need for people to control their dogs by keeping them on a lead around livestock. This is not the first time we have lost animals to a dog attack as often owners simply feel their pet is not a threat. This could not be further from the truth and even the most placid pooch can behave completely out of character around livestock. 

“The aftermath of a dog attack is beyond heartbreaking, we have seen aborted lambs, sheep torn limb from limb and herds literally paralysed in fear. It is a blood bath and one of the most distressing sights someone could see. 

“I believe the vast majority of dog owners simply do not comprehend the damage their pet can do, so please keep your dog on a lead near livestock.” 

Kent Wildlife Trust’s Head of Land Management, Simon Bateman-Brown added: “We are conservationists and animal lovers, many of the staff here own dogs. We do not want to harm them however if a dog is found attacking our livestock, we will have no option but to shoot it to protect the rest of the flock. Do not put your dog in a situation where we must make this choice. Keep it on a lead.” 

 Kent Wildlife Trust owns over 800 animals that form part of the charity's Wilder Grazing Programme. Here old breeds of grazing, browsing, and rootling animals roam some of the Trust’s 90 nature reserves to mimic natural processes. The grazing species act in similar ways to the large grazers that used to live wild in Kent but are now extinct, such as auroch, elk, and bison. 

The white-faced woodland sheep were chosen for the Wilder Grazing programme for their ability to target woody species such as bramble and sycamore, often climbing to reach up for clematis and other scrub plants. They are large sheep with some rams weighing in at 120kg and are particularly useful for conversation grazing as they are happy to browse whatever is presented to them. 

Kent Wildlife Trust reported that in 2022, the cost of dog attacks, theft, and anti-social behaviour over the summer period ran over £10,000. Anyone wishing to help the Trust can donate, join as a member, adopt a species of volunteer.