MOFFAT'S ANNUAL 'sheep race' – due to happen last Sunday – was cancelled at the last minute due to 'licensing issues'.

Under intense pressure from animal rights activists, who had gathered an 80,000 signature petition against the event, Dumfries and Galloway Council asked the race organisers to licence the participating sheep in line with the Performing Animals Act 1925,

The shepherds providing the sheep insisted that their animals were not a 'circus troupe' but simply agricultural livestock on show to the public as at any local farm show, and refused to apply for the obscure licensing at such short notice, preferring instead to abandon the event.

But in a strongly worded statement, the shepherds made it plain that they believed their worthwhile and harmless community event had been undermined by individuals who had misrepresented it to both the public and officials.

"We are a group of shepherds with over 150 years experience, and drawing on that experience were asked by Moffat Promotions Group to provide sheep on a voluntary basis for an event in Moffat with all good intentions to support the local area and especially the Moffat Community," read the statement.

"As part of the sheep event we brought the countryside to the town by educating the public on the different breeds of sheep and characteristics and their role. Many members of public during the past events were interested to learn about the sheep and were delighted to be in close proximity to the sheep.

"The community Spirit that we all had has been completely shattered because of legislation enforced by Dumfries and Galloway Council and, for the record, not because of any activist group campaign who posed no threat to the event.

"To be clear to those activists out there that are of the opinion that these sheep are being treated cruelly, the dedicated sheep team were appalled that certain individuals, stooped as low as to appear to 'cut and paste' a piece of a report of sheep worrying and inferred this as being part of the sheep event.

"This clearly demonstrates how little knowledge they have about the facts. Animal welfare is paramount at all times. After the event all sheep are returned to their natural habitat on the hillside to live a natural life."

The local authority had, claimed the statement, only decided to enforce the 1925 legislation on August 2 this year. A meeting with D and G Council could only be held on Monday August 7, due to Council officials being unable to meet any earlier. Following a request for an exemption from this law, the council consulted their legal team, and responded on August 9 to advise that they would enforce the law if the sheep were to appear on August 13 in the town.

"This event has been complying with all current Scottish Government Agricultural Legislation as an agricultural event which was allocated the appropriate designated holding number," said the shepherds' statement. "The Sheep Team were not willing to complete the application for registration of Performing Animals – this course of action was totally unacceptable to the sheep team as to do so would have untold repercussions for any future events. This is the sole reason the Sheep Team took the decision not to provide the sheep out of respect for the animals and refused to have them classed as part of this Performing Animals Act."