DARTMOOR Rangers are encouraging people to follow the ‘Ranger Code’ and keep their dogs on leads to help protect wildlife in the national park.

Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Love Moor Life is a set of guidelines that help protect the safety of themselves, their four-legged friends and the moor’s wildlife.

From now until July 31 all dogs must be kept on leads. This coincides with the breeding season where Dartmoor is filled with new-born lambs and ground-nesting birds, both of which are particularly vulnerable.

The worrying of livestock by dogs is a year round concern for rangers and police and it is a criminal offence for dogs to worry livestock. Although a dog may not be actively chasing livestock, its presence can still cause disturbance. A frightened animal may lose or abandon its young — a tragedy for the animal and a financial loss to the farmer.

The Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society, jointly with the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council, funds the work of livestock protection officer Karla McKechnie, who is on emergency call-out to deal with incidents of sheep worrying, dog attacks, casualties from road traffic accidents and livestock in distress on Dartmoor. Call 07873 587561 to report an incident, or phone police on 101.