As we open up for Spring and welcome visitors to Brecon and Radnorshire, we are given opportunity to share once more the importance of the countryside code.
The NFU have super downloadable graphics on their website (https://www.nfuonline.com/archive?treeid=149822) which are excellent for sharing with your friends, family and visitors. Do share them on your social media pages so that everyone understands the need to close gates, keep to public rights of way, take their rubbish home and, above all, keep their dog under control. Attacks on livestock are too frequent and many new dog owners do not understand how their dogs can cause extreme distress to a pregnant ewe.
Working with the Farmers Guardian, The National Sheep Association have also launched its annual survey on the topic of sheep worrying. Open until March 25th all sheep farmers are invited to participate to raise awareness of these incidents. The survey can be found here- https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5Y288BN.
The 2021 survey highlighted the rise in attacks due to an increase in dog ownership and more people using the countryside. We all want visitors and the local community to enjoy our countryside but please encourage everyone to do so responsibly.