SIR – Like myself, I am sure many readers were horrified to read about the dog attack on sheep near Tenbury, which cost ten of the animals their lives (“Sheep killed in suspected dog attack on farmland”, Worcester News, December 3).
People should not allow their dogs to run loose near sheep and stronger measures need to be taken against those irresponsible individuals who do so.
However, the risk of being killed or injured by marauding dogs is only one of the hardships that sheep in this country have to put up with.
For instance, we have the appalling situation 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 sheep 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 lambs 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.
For more information, readers can take a look at the Animal Aid website at animalaid.org.uk
GEORGE RICHARDSON
Malvern

Beware the facts in another dodgy dossier
SIR – Last week we extended our bombing campaign into Syria. Mr Cameron told us that 70,000 ‘moderates’ in the Free Syrian Army (FSA), will hold the ground after we’ve levelled it. 
 Well yesterday I learned that Mr Cameron was actually asked to remove his claim of 70 thousand ‘moderates’, from his speech by his own Military advisers. Why so? Are our military boffins pacifists, cowards, or terrorist sympathisers? 
 No. It is because war is their job and they simply don’t believe the claim that there even is an FSA, let alone 70,000 ‘moderates’ within it willing to help us. The FSA formed in 2011 from Syrian Army deserters with alleged Turkish military influence. It dissolved into local factions in 2012. Now, it’s a host of disparate militias whose only connection is the same ragged and now irrelevant cap badge.  
 The whole thing worries me greatly. I watched most of the Parliamentary debates and not once, did I hear what defines a so-called ‘moderate’. We know Islamic State does not have a monopoly on atrocity in that region. 
A dodgy dossier?… This is Tony Blair’s ‘ Weapons of mass destruction could reach us in 45 minutes...’ all over again.
OWEN CLEARY
Worcester

Make letters to the editor worth reading
SIR, With respect to all at Worcester News!
I wonder if members of the public have ever stopped to think of all the editing and work that go into publishing people’s letters. I admit I have written in and had pictures published. I don’t think for one minute I’ve written in moaning of something trivial like our George Cowley, John Phillpott and John Shearon. As I receive my paper free, it was nice to read some decent letters, with a break from these three. Worcester News staff have a lot to put up with, so if letters are sent in, for goodness sake make it worth while.
Well done Worcester staff.
LM PRESLEY
Worcester

A question of what you believe in
SIR, John Phillpott writes (December 2) “Uncle George now sleeps for eternity”. As a lifelong working class, Church of England, Christian (now 78) The Holy Bible tells us after physical death comes eternal life in heaven. Have faith, John and cheer up a bit.
GEORGE COWLEY
Worcester

We need some foreign aid in the North
SIR – In 2014 we, the UK, donated £279 million to India. That’s an extra £10 million more than the previous year – that’s  India, a country with a space programme!
So how do we explain this?
Our aid programme has almost trebled in a decade after David Cameron pledged to give 0.7 per cent of our national income to aid.
That will increase again, and spiral to £16 billion by 2020.
I would be interested to know how much India has donated to the flood victims in the north, some of whom have lost everything?
GB DIPPER
Leominster

Shall we say our prayers?
SIR – What next? Shall we always bow down to other faiths telling us what is right and what we cannot do?
The Lord’s Prayer will now be stopped at the opening of the new Star Wars film. Why do these people take offence at our Christian ways? They bring religion into everything. I for one think the Lord’s Prayer should be said. Letting ethnic groups have their own way is the trouble with this country and more countries.
CAROLE ROBERTS
Worcester