- Devon farmer Tom Trueman’s sheepdog Tilly was reported to the RSPCA for 'sheep worrying' after a member of the public mistook her rounding up his flock for an attack.
- Mr Trueman received a letter from the animal welfare charity with an incident number and two pamphlets on “dog behaviour” and “looking after dogs”.
- An RSPCA inspector told him that the report was made by someone who saw his eight-year-old sheepdog ‘worrying sheep’, but she had actually been herding them after they ran onto a country lane.
- After Mr Trueman explained the situation, the RSPCA inspector told him to disregard the letter.
- New laws were introduced in March that increase penalties for livestock worrying.
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