Police are urging dog owners to keep their pets under control as sheep worrying continues to be a problem at Telscombe Tye, Telscome Cliffs.
They said sheep-worrying continued despite a dog owner having to pay a farmer £600 when his pet killed four sheep on Telscombe Tye last year.
It occurs when dogs chase sheep, injure or kill them. Sheep are flighty animals and they flee when they perceive danger.
Sheep-worrying can cause serious untreatable injuries, often leading to an animal being put down.
After such an incident the flock can become terrified of dogs, including working sheep dogs. While the sheep suffer, so do farmers’ livelihoods, causing significant financial loss and great upset.
Police are urging owners to keep dogs under full control, ideally on leads, especially whilst walking in any areas of livestock.
They also need to check their own boundary fences and do all they can to keep their dogs contained within gardens.
PC Louise Barkaway, from Peacehaven Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Sheep-worrying is still a problem in the Telscombe Tye.
“Please keep all dogs on a lead when around sheep. Any dog worrying sheep on farmland can be shot by farmers in order to protect their livestock.
“Anyone who does not keep their dogs under control also risks being prosecuted. We ask anyone who witnesses sheep-worrying to call Sussex Police on 101 to report it.”