A new course has established the ‘Responsible Dog Ownership Course’ (RDOC), an online course to educate dog owners on how to help reduce instances of dog attacks on livestock has been welcomed by the Welsh Cabinet Secretary, and has been made available to police across Wales for dog owners involved in a livestock attacks.
From September, the pet charity Blue Cross will introduce a managing the behaviour of dogs around livestock module to their existing responsible dog ownership course, in collaboration with the Welsh Government and the police. The aim of the course is to have positive impacts on the dog’s health, welfare and discipline. Also, to educate dog owners to hopefully reduce reoffending instances and create safer communities. In some circumstances, this will allow Welsh officers to utilise the educational online course as part of a Community Resolution or a request on file during a court disposal following a livestock attack.
Dog attacks are a major concern within rural communities in Wales, the incidents are extremely distressing for farmers and their families not only financially but emotionally as well. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw-Irranca Davies said: “we want to assure farmers that we’re taking this issue seriously… and we want people to take responsibility for their pets behaviour whether they live or walk near farmlands”.
The Wildlife and Rural Crime Coordinator Rob Taylor stated this as “vital to moving forward with reducing the number of offences”. However, at this time the course is not legislation or compulsory. This new trial course is also a part of pursuing the law change with the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill which was shelved in May 2023 due to the general election, alongside the research Canine DNA testing kit project. Hopefully the new law will be put through parliament and strengthen legislation on livestock worrying by giving more powers to the police and bringing justice for affected livestock farmers.