A SHOCKING image of a lamb savaged by a dog in the past week is being used to remind dog owners to keep their pets on a lead during lambing.

Farm Watcher UK - an online community for farmers and rural communities - posted the photograph of a lamb killed on a farm in Richmondshire on its Facebook site at the weekend.

It urged dog-owners to remember to keep their dogs on a leash to protect lambs and pregnant ewes.

It is understood the police are investigating the incident.

Andrea Stephenson, from Frosterley, in Weardale, County Durham, set up Farm Watcher UK on Facebook and Twitter about a year ago after her brother had his quad bike stolen from their family farm and a neighbouring farmer had sheep stolen.

She uses social media to alert the farming community to rural crime or stolen property and since setting up the site it has attracted more than 13,000 likes from across the UK.

She said: “It’s important dog owners aren’t complacent and think 'my dog won’t attack a sheep' as chasing animals can cause damage as well as attacking them.

“If a ewe is pregnant and carrying lambs, they can abort if they’re chased around a field by any size of dog, large or small.

“There’s been a case in Darlington in the last seven day where some huskies chased some sheep into a river. The sheep weren’t hurt, but they were shaken.”

North Yorkshire Police recently launched its own campaign urging dog owners to be responsible around sheep, warning them that sheep worrying is a crime.

The force’s Safer Richmondshire team is using graphic images of sheep killed by dogs on posters and leaflets issued across the district.

They are working with farmers after a number of sheep have been killed and there are several on-going police investigations into cases throughout the county.

Dog owners could face a large fine or even imprisonment if they allow dogs to attack or chase livestock. A landowner can hoot a dog which they believe is worrying sheep.

North Yorkshire Police Beat Manager, PC Sue Dent, said: "We are distributing posters and leaflets to remind walkers of their responsibilities and we make no apologies for the graphic nature of the campaign - we have used pictures of animals left in two areas just before Christmas."

Andrea has created gate signs to alert people to the importance of keeping dogs on leads while lambs are in the field, which are available atfarmwatcheruk.myshopify.com