Sir - Many readers will have been horrified and upset about the sheep that were viciously attacked by a dog on a farm near Worcester ("Flock is savaged in dog attack", WN, January 3rd).

Such attacks are all too common and stronger measures need to be taken by the authorities against irresponsible people who allow their dogs to endanger sheep.

Sadly, however, the risk of being attacked by dogs is only a part of the suffering that sheep have to put up with.

This is because we have the appalling situation in the UK of four million newborn lambs dying every year within a few days of birth, mostly from disease, exposure, or malnutrition, and about a million adult breeding animals perishing in the fields annually.

This is because our grassland is not the natural habitat for a species that originated in a much more arid climate, with the result that they incur serious health problems, such as footrot and parasitical diseases.

About 14 million sheep are slaughtered in the UK every year, half of them while still lambs at just a few months old.

And all this suffering and slaughter is totally unnecessary, because we can all live perfectly healthily without meat or any other animal products.

Thankfully more and more people are becoming vegan or vegetarian every year and many others are reducing their consumption of meat, fish, eggs and dairy out of concern for animals, the environment or their own health.

Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies exists to help people switch to a more humane diet and lifestyle and we can be contacted at info@worcsveg.org.uk, on 01562 700043 or via our website at www.worcsveg.org.uk

Ronald Lee

Communications Officer

Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies