[SallyintNorth]

I think there may be confusion here between Defra's records, which give exactly no stuffs about the parentage of any sheep but always know to which holding any sheep are registered, from the point of their first move onwards, and the Breed Society's records.

The Defra stuff is a legal requirement, and Defra do know which sheep are at which holding from the eartag, leaving and destination holding information on the movement licenses.

The Breed Soc stuff is entirely optional, and many new owners do not bother to update it - and why would you, when it costs you money to do so and is of no benefit to the new owner whatsoever unless they are planning to sell the animal or its offspring as registered pedigree.

[Womble]

Sorry but movement licence is not the same as change of owner

No, but it is the same as change of location.

I'm guessing the person who found "your" missing sheep looked up your flock number somehow, and hence thought it was still yours?  However, if they'd called DEFRA, they should have been able to say "animal UK123456/00038 should be residing with Old MacDonald, at CPH number 83/234/1827", right?  OK, so that doesn't tell us whether Old MacDonald owns that sheep, but it does at least tell us which field to shove it back in!?

[twizzel]

Sorry but movement licence is not the same as change of owner

If you have the means to check any of your previsouly sold sheep, they will still be registered as yours (obvisouly not the slaughtered ones hopefully)

There is NOT the means to register change of owner - if there is - please point me to it

I have sold my sheep- I am therefore no longer the owner. Therefore the movement license showing the movement OFF the holding, along with in my flock movement book showing as SOLD, should be sufficient enough to show I am no longer the legal owner, regardless of if I took them to market, sold to abattoir, sold to some random bloke. It’s no different to cattle movements- we sell store cattle at market every year, the ear tag with our herd number stays with the animal for life; I am the legal owner until the hammer falls at auction, then the animal is not my responsibility.

[Fleecewife]

Sorry but movement licence is not the same as change of owner

If you have the means to check any of your previsouly sold sheep, they will still be registered as yours (obvisouly not the slaughtered ones hopefully)

There is NOT the means to register change of owner - if there is - please point me to it

I have sold my sheep- I am therefore no longer the owner. Therefore the movement license showing the movement OFF the holding, along with in my flock movement book showing as SOLD, should be sufficient enough to show I am no longer the legal owner, regardless of if I took them to market, sold to abattoir, sold to some random bloke. It’s no different to cattle movements- we sell store cattle at market every year, the ear tag with our herd number stays with the animal for life; I am the legal owner until the hammer falls at auction, then the animal is not my responsibility.

But old Joe Bloggs who finds your sold sheep wandering along the road in Tillicoultry but doesn't know the first thing about sheep has no way of finding out who owns the animal now.  I do see the concern but surely it's not something which arises all that often?
Even though it's not your legal responsibility twizzel, don't you feel a natural concern for its welfare?