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Eight ewes carrying twins and triplets were killed during a dog attack on Tuesday morning.
The attack, which took place on a farm in Camross, Coolrain, Co Laois, also left 132 in-lamb ewes worried.
“All these ewes are due to lamb on the first week of January, and you know as well as I do the unfortunate circumstances I’m faced with after a worrying like this,” Arion Delaney told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Commotion
One of the ewes was decapitated during the attack, while the other seven dead were badly savaged.
Delaney said: “I keep the in-lamb ewes in two batches, equally divided, with 70 ewes carrying singles and 70 ewes carrying twins or triplets. The batch carrying multiples were ran from one end of the farm to another.
“The dogs cornered them and started to attack. The singles batch were in the field next door and could hear the commotion and are badly worried also. They were all terrified and trembling when I found them.”
Red handed
Laois dog warden Tristan Rondale has called on all dog owners to keep their dogs under control at all times, especially at this time of year as the lambing season kicks off.
“This goes on every year and unless you catch them red handed, you haven’t a hope. It's neglect and laziness on the dog owner’s part. These animals are bored in houses and are set free to terrorise sheep,” Delaney continued.
“These incidents would make you wonder is it worth keeping sheep if people aren’t accountable for their dogs. All we can do is drop the shoulder to the wheel and hope the first week of January isn’t a nightmare.”
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