Farmer reported to RSPCA for herding own sheep

A Devon beef and sheep farmer has shared his confusion after he was contacted by the RSPCA for "sheep worrying" while moving his flock from one field to another.

Tom Trueman, 42, who farms near Buckfastleigh, said the incident happened on a Sunday in May while moving the animals across the yard before some broke free and ended up on a road.

He said: "I sent the dog out to round them up and bring them back home. Then, about two weeks later, I get a letter from the RSPCA. A dog rounding up sheep might look like it's sheep worrying - if it's not a collie dog with a farmer next to it."

The RSPCA said it "was unable to discuss complaints about specific people and what action may have been taken".

Trueman said he contacted the animal welfare charity, which told him there was "no need to worry" after he explained the situation.

"We think it was genuinely someone who was, unfortunately, rather ignorant and didn't realise that a black and white collie rounds up sheep," he said.

"The trouble is, there's a definite gap between rural and urban nowadays.

"People don't seem to understand what a farmer actually does."

Trueman urged anybody who thought they had witnessed a sheep worrying incident to stop and ask the person involved.

He said: "In this instance, I was with the dog. If the dog's on its own in a field of sheep, rounding them up, there's no one nearby, then that would be sheep worrying.

"In this instance, when someone like me who looks like a farmer is there with a dog, you'd think it would be obvious."

The RSPCA said it was "so grateful" to people who reported suspected animal suffering.

It said: "We would like to reassure people we will always look into and, if necessary, investigate any complaints made to us about animal welfare.

"A lot of the time issues will be dealt with by advice and education and it is not always appropriate to publicise this information for legal reasons."

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