Two sheep had to be put down due to bad injuries after a dog attack in Gurteengrone Co. Carlow last week, sheep farmer Declan Corcoran has told Agriland.
Gardaí have confirmed receiving a report regarding the attack of two sheep on farmland in Carlow in the morning of Thursday, December 29.
The badly injured animals were still alive when Corcoran went out to feed the 200 lambs on the field at a main road around 9:30a.m.
He urged farmers in the area to keep an eye out, claiming that the dog is still on the loose and it will “definitely kill again”.
A dog warden attended the field yesterday (Wednesday, January 4), the farmer said.
“I have had bother with dogs for nearly 10 years now. I actually want to get rid of all the ewes in summer because of the dog attacks,” Corcoran said.
“I am going to maybe keep a few store lambs,” he said, emphasising that the worst part is when dogs worry sheep in-lamb, which happened on his farm in 2015.
He added that he is less worried about the lambs, leaving them out on the farm, but keeps the ewes close to the house. “That’s how I have been doing it for years,” he said.
Dog attack
In a different incident over the Christmas period, 45 sheep were killed and a further 20 animals were put down due to injuries in Co. Tipperary.
Gardaí are investigating the dog attack after the animals were found dead and injured on lands at Ballymacegan, Lorrha in the morning of Tuesday, December 27.
Following the attack, the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) sheep chair Kevin Comiskey called for an emergency meeting with ministers this week.
The “horrendous attack” also comes within weeks of the last two attacks in Moneygall, Co. Offaly and in Moyvalley, Co. Kildare, he said.