A dog has jumped a fence and chased three alpacas at a farm, with one of the animals sustaining long-term injuries as a result.

The incident took place on Sunday, July 17, when a dog was being walked off its lead near Herts Alpacas, in Buntingford.

The dog jumped a fence that was topped with barbed wire, before running onto land that contained the alpacas.

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Three animals- named Regency, Lily and Holly - were chased, resulting in one of them sustaining injuries.

These injuries still require daily treatment four months later.

The other two alpacas - who are now both 17 years of age - are now struggling with their mobility.

Herts Alpacas owner Nigel Beckwith said: "Sadly, everyone suffers when dogs attack livestock.

“Farmers are left to pick up the pieces, both emotionally and financially, which can involve nursing injured animals indefinitely, or making the heart-breaking decision to euthanise.

“Dog owners also risk losing their beloved companions, as farmers have the right to shoot a dog if it is attacking livestock.

“All of this can simply be avoided if people are responsible and ensure their dogs are kept on leads, even if the land is fenced off and you trust your dog to come when called.”

The owner of the dog - a woman in her 60s - fully cooperated with police and agreed to pay £2,000 in compensation.

Mr Beckwith continued: "The dog’s owner was mortified by what happened. Until the day of the attack, her dog had always been totally trustworthy, had good recall and had never hurt anything.

“Sadly, as this incident shows, no dog can be trusted 100% of the time and I would plead with dog owners to ensure their pets are kept on a lead.”