A Co. Armagh farmer has hit out at irresponsible dog owners after a number of his sheep were killed in an attack at the weekend.
The attack happened on a Keady farm on Sunday morning (February 11), when the sheep were ravaged by up to five dogs.
Speaking to Armagh I, the farmer, who does not wish to be named, said he came across the dogs hunting the sheep, not realising initially they were his sheep as they had been driven so far away by the dogs.
“Whenever I went to see my own lambs it ended up there was four of them dead. They were killed in the field and the rest of them were missing,” he said.
“We’ve since found seven. This morning another one of them has died, so there were five dead and we’ve six living.”
Despite searches this morning, four sheep are still missing.
He continued: “This is actually the second time I’ve been hit in a year now. I lost one lamb at that particular time.
The farmer says that instances of livestock worrying like this have a big impact on the livelihoods of farmers, especially when animals often to the same area for more.
“They were going to be took in July time for breeding and they’re worth between £150 and £180 for me to go out and replace.
“I’ve called the dead cart and it’s costing me £100 to bring him here to the farm to lift them. It’s just never-ending.”
For this farmer, the culprits are not the dogs themselves, but irresponsible ownership.
“There’s that many dogs that aren’t being looked after, and obviously the dogs have been starved. That’s the biggest problem,” he said.
“I’ve nothing against dogs, but if you’re willing to keep dogs, you need to be able to look after them.”
He added: “It’s down to the individuals themselves. If they can’t keep their dogs under control there’s no way I can. I can’t watch my sheep 24/7. It’s not possible.
“Once they’ve killed now, they will be back again, unless they can be stopped. If I see them on my land, I will stop them.”
Alongside the high costs associated with these attacks, he will have to contend with the worry of something similar happening again.
He explained: “I have ewes coming up to lambing now and you’re nearly totally afraid to let them out of the house, especially with younger lambs. These were older lambs.
“If my ewes are hunted before they lamb, there’s no knowing, I could lose lambs before they’re even born. It’s a big impact on my livelihood.
“It’s a worrying time for the farmers that have livestock and are making a living out of it.”
Following reports of the attack, SDLP councillor Thomas O’Hanlon has pleaded with dog owners to be aware of where their pets are and has said he will be engaging with local authorities.
He said: “Police have been notified and I’ll be engaging with the Dog Warden this week and asking for additional patrols in the area.
“Farmers have sheep and lambs out in fields and in the coming weeks there will be cows and calves out too. Please know where your dogs are and ensure they are not worrying farm animals.”
