A Kerry farmer has told Agriland how a dog attack has resulted in 10 of his sheep, some of which were in lamb, being killed, while more are still missing.
Daniel O’Donoghue who keeps a cross-bred flock in the Spa area of Killarney, realised something was wrong around 8:00a.m today (Monday, January 22).
When he arrived to check on his stock, the farmer found one ewe, that had been recently scanned carrying three lambs, dead in a field close to his house.
O’Donoghue then discovered a further nine dead sheep, some of which had been driven into drains.
He said that there are currently up to four more sheep missing and presumed dead.
Dog attack
The farmer noticed a big dog in the field when he first arrived this morning which ran away, but he believes there may have been a second dog involved.
He said the dog attack has made a lasting impression on the remainder of his flock.
“They’re different sheep altogether now today. They were very quiet, timid kind of sheep, but they’re more traumatised now.
“I’m trying to keep my own dog away from them. They get upset obviously when they see the dog,” O’Donoghue said.
Although there will be a cost in replacing the dead sheep, the farmer said that his initial reaction to the dog attack is concern for his animals.
“I only feel for the sheep. There’s a financial hit, I’d get over that. It’s very traumatic for sheep and shepherd,” he said.
This afternoon, O’Donoghue, who is worried that the dogs could return, is moving his sheep to a well-fenced field that he was keeping for lambing in March.
The farmer has appealed to dog owners to be responsible for their pets and make sure they know where they are at all times.
Sheep
Meanwhile, Kerry County Council is to commence mapping all dog attacks on sheep reported to the local authority this year.
It follows a recent motion tabled by Fianna Fáil Councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald calling on the council to produce and publicise such maps.
He also urged the local authority to visit houses in areas where dog attacks are reported to ensure that all dogs are microchipped.
Councillor Fitzgerald, who is a tillage farmer, believes these maps could be replicated by local authorities around the country to identify areas where there is a high prevalence of dog attacks.
The councillor has also asked the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) if the Area Monitoring System (AMS), used for farm scheme compliance, could be adapted to help identify dogs involved in attacks.
“Joined-up thinking is what is needed, linked with the use of technology, to help decrease attacks on sheep and bring justice to bear on the dog owners responsible for these vicious attacks,” Fitzgerald said.