Five pedigree texel sheep were killed, following a dog attack in Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan on Sunday, January 19.

Four of the ewes were due to lamb in the next two weeks. Niamh Monahan, who farms with her father Eamonn said that this attack "wiped out 25%" of their breeding ewes.

Along with the five sheep which were killed, another four had to be recovered from a drain which they were chased into.

The farmers took photos of the dog paw prints next to the dead animals to give "context of the size of the attacker".

"The animal that has done this to the defenceless sheep would have been heavily covered in blood given the nature of the attack and may have a leg of one of the sheep with them," Niamh said.

"The concerning thing is that if this dog has done this to the sheep, what would it to a person or even worse a child," she added.

Niamh said that it is not just the five sheep that were killed, but "so much more", including the nine lambs that were due to have in the coming weeks, and the hours of work put into caring for them.

She also said that there is the potential that the other ewes may abort their lambs having been chased around the farm.

"We are now left in a horrible situation where we can't put the sheep back out to our own fields in fear that the same might happen again in the coming days," Niamh added.

She described the incident as "devastating and heartbreaking", and said that it will take years to recoup losses of the attack given their small numbers.