Lamb deaths prompt appeal to dog owners from Croots Farm Shop

Derbyshire farm shop owner Steve Croot has urged dog owners to keep their pets on leads after three of his lambs died in two days following suspected attacks from dogs. 

Steve feared that his flock may have contracted an illness or disease when he discovered the dead lambs. But after a post mortem examination on the third animal by a vet, it appears that the animals had been attacked, said Steve. 

He has now posted notices on the public footpath that crosses the field at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, where he keeps the sheep, appealing to owners to keep their dogs on leads. 

Steve, a dog owner himself, said: “After finding three dead lambs in two days I wondered if we had a disease so I had a post mortem carried out on the third animal and the vet confirmed there were puncture marks in the skin and said it was a dog that had attacked it. It wasn’t a fox that was responsible because foxes tend to chew their victims. 

“I am a dog owner and dog lover myself, and I know that the vast majority of dog owners are very responsible and would hate to think their pet had caused the death of a lamb. I’ve read about cases recently reported by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust in which dogs, some as old as 11, had attacked sheep, having never done it before. The attacks very much came out of the blue and their owners were distraught. However well behaved a dog is, at the end of the day it’s an animal and it can behave unpredictably. 

“The best way to avoid anything like this happening is for anyone out walking their dog in the countryside to please keep their animals under control, on a lead, when there are sheep and lambs around.” 

Steve’s flock delivered 100 lambs this spring, with the animals grazing around the fields close to Croots Farm Shop. He breeds and rears the lambs to sell in the farm shop. 

It is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere. A court can decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if it injures someone’s animal.

www.croots.co.uk

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Dog website Champdogs welcomes litter restrictions announcement

The Kennel Club’s announcement on litter restrictions has been welcomed by the founder of a website that provides responsible dog breeders with the opportunity to showcase their dogs on the internet.

Mark Roach, managing director of Champdogs, hailed the news that, from 2012 the KC will normally register no more than four litters from any one bitch because of concerns that the current legal limit of six litters can potentially be detrimental to a bitch’s welfare, as a ‘positive step forward’.

And he called on the organisation to now turn the spotlight on the minimum age at which the KC registers a litter to a bitch.

“We are pleased that the Kennel Club has taken a positive step to help prevent the over breeding and exploitation of dogs,” said Mark. “This is not before time, however, and we at Champdogs have for many years applied a limit of four litters on our members.

“As the only recognised registrar of pedigree dogs in the UK, it is important that the KC sets a high standard and does not allow its registry to be exploited by puppy farmers and commercial breeders. This move will go some way to achieving that aim.

“We hope that the next step will be for the Kennel Club to review the minimum age at which they will register a litter to a bitch. We believe the blanket rule of 12 months for all breeds to be far too young. Ideally each breed should be considered differently as they all mature at different ages.”

Champdogs (www.champdogs.co.uk) was set up in 1999 and has almost 20,000 members. It positively promotes responsible and healthy dog breeding, and has strict conditions of membership to prevent puppy farmers and commercial breeders from using the firm’s facilities.

It also features a healthy discussion forum at www.champdogsforum.co.uk which runs alongside the main site.

Members on the forum have also welcomed the Kennel Club’s announcement.

Mark, who is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, added: “The discussion on our forum indicates that the Kennel Club’s decision on litter restrictions is being hailed as a good move by responsible members of the dog world. We would now urge that attention is focused on the minimum age that the KC will register a litter to a bitch.

“At Champdogs, we apply a minimum age limit of 24 months at the date of whelping unless the relevant national breed club stipulates a different age.”

http://www.champdogs.co.uk/

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Regional and Speciality Food and Drink market in Nottingham offers doggy foodie delights for the first time

Shoppers at this month’s Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market in Nottingham can pick up supplies for their four-legged friends for the first time after a new stall joined the market.


Mrs Bishop’s Doggy Deli will be selling biccy bones and other handmade doggy treats at the monthly market on Friday July 16th and Saturday July 17th.

The market, run by East Midlands Fine Foods in conjunction with Nottingham City Council, features up to 30 different stalls and has been running for more than three years – attracting a wide variety of regional producers and suppliers.

But this is the first time that speciality food for pets has been on sale.

“The East Midlands is home to a wonderful array of speciality food and drink producers, and the Regional and Speciality Food and Drink Market gives shoppers in Nottingham the chance to buy their products from them directly each month,” said Jo Murphy, from East Midlands Fine Foods. “Now we’re offering handmade, locally produced items for dogs too.”

Nottingham firm Mrs Bishop’s Doggy Deli uses flour from Green’s Windmill and other locally sourced ingredients to make a range of speciality dog biscuits.

Another stall joining this month’s market is Rico Mexican Kitchen, run by Marcela Flores Newburn and based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham. She sells a range of authentic Mexican products, including salsas, beans and cooking sauces.

The market is held in the Old Market Square on the third Friday and Saturday of every month between 9am and 4.30pm. Items on offer include cheese, meats, preserves, cakes and other products from around the East Midlands.