A sheep farmer in Co. Tipperary has appealed for greater enforcement of dog control legislation after 27 of his ewes were killed in a dog attack.
Michael Coyne, who keeps sheep with his brother David in Newcastle, told Agriland that this is the 10th dog attack he has experienced since he began farming.
The brothers were coming to the end of a long and busy lambing season when news of the latest incident involving a group of their dry ewes reached them.
On Tuesday (April 26) afternoon, a neighbour called Michael to alert him after they noticed dead sheep on their land.
“I went up and I saw the sheep dead and then as I walked on I saw the dog. He was exhausted from all the hunting, then a fella shot him and that was it,” Michael said.
The extent of the attack only became apparent to the farmers yesterday when they found more dead sheep in the nearby rivers.
In total, 27 dry ewes who had been grazing on the commonage had been killed.
Michael, who was already drained and exhausted from lambing, said he is “shocked and disgusted” by the dog attack.
The farmer said that in general, more enforcement is needed when it comes to dog control legislation.
“People are getting away with murder aren’t they? It’s wicked,” he said.
Sheep killed
Michael Coyne believes that the dog involved in the attack on his flock may have previously killed sheep.
Last December, another sheep farmer also on the Knockmealdown Mountains in Co. Tipperary told Agriland how a dog attack resulted in the death of 20 of their ewes.
Bridget King and her husband, Stephen Ryan, from King’s Yard said that the incident on their 150ac outfarm in Crohan was “heart wrenching”.
“It was absolutely horrific. It is like a death in the family, but it is outside the door,” Bridget said.
“People have to take responsibility for their dog. There are people going up onto the mountain with their dog, leaving them off the lead and they do not care what the dogs are doing. It is reckless,” she added.