Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"We are a nation of animal lovers, and I know from personal experience just how valuable walking our dogs in the countryside is for our physical and mental health.
"However, we also share these outdoor spaces with farm businesses and protected landscapes. So especially during lambing season I am urging people to look after livestock and wildlife by keeping dogs on leads and giving animals a wide berth.
"For my part, I will be looking out for our farming communities by supporting the ongoing Livestock Worrying Bill in Parliament, giving police better powers to deal with the issue effectively and empowering farmers and rural communities to tackle the blight of livestock worrying."
READ NOW: Livestock worrying costs farmers £2.4 million a year
Free signs warning dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead near livestock are available through Farmers Guardian's Take the Lead campaign, in association with the National Sheep Association.
To request yours, send a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope to: FG Take the Lead, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ.
We will be able to send up to 25 signs.
