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.