Ellie Blake has been fined more than £3,000 (Picture: Cavendish Press)
An animal lover has been fined more than £3,000 after her two dogs attacked and killed 15 sheep while on a walk.
Ellie Blake, 60, was taking her three German pointers for a walk through Pym Chair in Kettleshulme in Cheshire when the dogs ‘worked together’ to savage several sheep and lambs.
She lost sight of two of the dogs and didn’t know what had happened until she arrived home last October 14 without her two dogs and police arrived to speak with her.
A neighbour called the flock’s owner, farmer Graham Ford, who raced to the fields but had to contact a colleague to shoot the dogs, saying they were ‘fixated’ on mauling as many of the sheep as possible.
The dogs ignored warning shots and both were killed to prevent further damage. Ten sheep were killed outright by the dogs, while five more had to be put down due to the seriousness of their wounds.
When Blake, a care assistant, was told what her dogs had done she said she was ‘shocked’ at what had happened, adding that both dogs were professionally trained and there had never been any issues with them before.
Michael O’Kane, prosecuting, told Chester magistrates court: ‘They were in fact with three German wire haired pointers, two of which during the walk have run off.
‘The defendant made attempts to find the dogs and used a whistle to call them but the dogs did not return to her.
The two German wirehaired pointers had to be killed after attacking several sheep (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
‘She then returned home with the other dog before she and the friend returned to try and locate them.
‘Mr Ford has been farming for over 30 years and has 1,000 ewes in his flock. He received a phone call from a distressed lady who advised him the sheep were being attacked.
‘He made his way to the location with his sister and two people were already at the scene and they relayed to him that the sheep were under attack.
‘Mr Ford then observed two dogs out of control chasing and attacking his sheep. Several sheep were lying on the floor motionless and covered with blood.
‘Initially, the dogs were working together. One dog would corner the sheep and the other would attack.
‘They were totally out of control and appeared to be fixated and attacking as many as possible. They ran them down. When the sheep had fallen to the floor and became motionless they would move on to another.
‘The sheep had no chance. Mr Ford wanted to drive his vehicle towards the dogs to distract them. But that was not possible due to the wet ground.’
Blake, from Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to being the owner of two dogs worrying livestock and being owner of dogs dangerously out of control.
She was fined £400, ordered to pays £460 in costs and a victim surcharge and £3,160.80 in damages to the National Farmers Union which compensated Mr Ford for his lost sheep.
She was spared a ban from keeping animals.
In mitigation Blake’s lawyer Isabel Thomas said: ‘She has always expressed her shock and horror at the way that two dogs behaved.
‘When interviewed by police she said if the dogs had behaved in such a way then the farmers did the right thing.
‘She never foresaw her dogs behave in such a way and never expected them to do so. She has owned dogs for many years and she has always ensured that her dogs are well trained.
‘She is extremely sorry for what the farmer in this case has had to go through. Like him, she is devastated that harm has come to any animal. She continues to express her apologies and sincere remorse for what the farmer had to go through.
‘She is a responsible dog owner and she has taken pride in the way that she looks after her animals. The third dog is with her partner and she has no dogs now.’
Sentencing Blake, District Judge Jack McGarva told her: ‘I speak as someone who loves dogs and wildlife when I say this whole thing is tragic.’
According to the Kennel Club, the German wirehaired pointer is a medium sized hunting dog, with characteristics of being a ‘powerful, strong, versatile hunting dog’ which ‘excels in both field and water’ and ‘loyal, intelligent, [of] sound temperament and alert’.
For temperament it is said to be: ‘Gentle, affectionate and even tempered. Alert, biddable and very loyal.’
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