A Co. Kerry sheep farmer has reported one sheep dead and four injured following a dog attack on St. Stephen’s Day (Thursday, December 26).
Farmer Johnathan Egan, and his father John Egan found sheep scattered across the land near Coss Strand in Templenoe, Co. Kerry.
The strand is popular with dog owners, who often allow dogs off their leads in the area, although it is surrounded by farmland.
Some of the sheep found had been stuck in drains and ditches, and despite efforts of the farmers and gardaí, two of the sheep remain missing.
A Lanark ewe was killed and the sheep injured were dry hoggets. Johnathan said that many other sheep remain “traumatised”.
He said that they had arrived to the land only a short time after the attack had happened, and it was immediately reported to gardaí.
“If we had to have left it any longer, more sheep would have died, with them being stuck in briars and ditches,” Johnathan said.
He said that the farm had faced a dog attack years ago, but that coming into spring now, the potential of another attack will be “at the back of the mind”.
“This dog bled two sheep, he knew what he was doing, so you would worry did he attack before? He has a taste for blood now, so you would worry, will he back in April time?,” Johnathan said.
“A lot of the time a dog could run after sheep for fun but this dog has a taste of blood now and will want to do damage again,” he added.
He said that it “is not the dog’s fault” and that dog owners must “take responsibility” to come forward after such incidents.
“We’re all animal lovers, but for someone to leave lambs stuck in wires and drains and just walk away from it all, that is disgusting,” Johnathan said.