A quiet farm near Macclesfield turned into a scene of chaos when a dog went on a deadly rampage against livestock.
Farmer Alan Jackson, 65, faced a nightmare just a week before Christmas as a hound reportedly killed 23 of his sheep in Gawsworth.
Armed Police Respond in Force
By 1pm on December 18, police officers had arrived at the farm in two squad cars.
At least eight officers were seen, with five carrying shotguns and assault rifles, dressed in full tactical gear complete with helmets and utility vests.
The heavy response was prompted by fears that the rogue dog might still be on the loose.
Mr. Jackson described the scene to the Daily Mail: “It was a little bit OTT, I must admit. But they did come.
Unfortunately, by the time they got there, the disaster had already happened, and the dog had long gone.”
The Scale of the Loss
When authorities arrived, 19 sheep had already been killed.
Two more were put down after Mr. Jackson called in the knackerman to remove the carcasses.
Another two died in the following days, bringing the total to 23 sheep lost.
At £180 per sheep, the attack cost him £4,140, plus £276 for carcass removal at £12 per animal.
Jackson also had to spend an entire day cleaning up the scene.
Rumors and Suspicions
Local chatter suggested the dog might belong to a famous footballer living nearby, but Mr. Jackson dismissed this as pure speculation.
“I don’t think this dog has any connection with him whatsoever,” he said.
He added that he has an idea of who the owner might be, with three witnesses all pointing to the same individual, though he did not reveal the name.
“This dog in question, I think, is kept more as a status symbol than a pet,” Jackson said.
“It’s there to ward people off, not for companionship.”
Legal Hurdles Ahead
Jackson’s hopes for legal action may face delays due to changes in legislation.
The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, set to take effect on March 18, 2026, will allow police to collect DNA and other forensic evidence from dogs suspected of attacking livestock.
Sadly, for Jackson, this law comes three months too late.
“I don’t think illegal action will come of it,” he said.
He also believes the police response was heightened because a neighbor mistakenly reported that the dog was still in the field.
“They turned up expecting an angry dog,” Jackson explained.
The officers distributed leaflets and conducted as much of an investigation as they could.
Police Appeal for Witnesses
Cheshire Police confirmed the incident, stating: “At around 1pm Thursday 18 December, police were called to reports that a dog had attacked a number of sheep on a farm on Bradford Lane, Nether Alderley.”
The Rural Crime Team attended and confirmed that 21 sheep had been killed.
Armed police were present, but no firearms were used.
Authorities are now appealing to the public for information, noting that the dog may have come from the direction of Artists Lane.
“If you saw the livestock attack in progress or suspect this was your dog and want to do the right thing, please contact Cheshire Police via 101 quoting crime reference 25001031283,” a spokesperson said.
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