How to spot a casualty

Have you seen sheep chased - savaged - killed - by dogs?

Sheep and lambs are especially at risk on Dartmoor. Every year many deaths are reported and recorded.

Casualties are caused by:

• Fast and thoughtless driving on moorland roads
• Sheep chasing by dogs
• Lambing - deaths result from unattended difficult births
• Lambs picked up by the public - the ewe may later reject the lamb
• Snow - reduces all available grazing and animals may also become trapped under drifts
• Bogs & leats - may trap and drown animals unless rescue takes place
• Animals entangled in wire and brambles or wedged between rocks may die unless helped
• Fly-strike - resulting in an infestation of maggots likely to kill the victim unless necessary treatment is carried out
• A sheep 'cast' on its back may not be able to regain its feet without assistance, and if unaided may die

Foal entangled in wire fence being cut free on Dartmoor