East Galway farmer lost 13 sheep in a savage dog attack
A FARMER near Ballinasloe had 13 sheep killed in a savage attack by dogs in the last weekend in June leading to calls for a far stricter regime in relation to the control of dogs.
The farmer in question from the Clontuskert area – who asked that his name not be used – told the Farming Tribune that 13 sheep were killed in the attack that happened on the Saturday night/Sunday morning of June 27/28.
The grim discovery was made on the Sunday morning of June 28 with the sheep death toll initially standing at 12 while in the days after a 13th animal died – ewes, hoggets and lambs were victims of the savage attack.
Local people believe that up to three dogs were involved in the attack that has led to the farmer involved suffering damages amounting to several thousand euro.
“It was an awful sight and while we’ve had the odd case of a dog troubling our sheep before, we’ve never had anything like this happening before. It’s an awful loss but it’s shocking cruelty to the animals as well,” the farmer told the Farming Tribune.
However, this is not the first such case of widespread losses being suffered by sheep farmers in the Clontuskert area with another farmer in the area also having suffered major losses over recent months.
This week, Galway IFA have called for more resources to be allocated for the dog warden service in the county to help try and control the problem of canines not being kept under control.
Galway IFA Chairperson, Anne Mitchell, told the Farming Tribune that the carnage and cruelty being caused by roaming dogs just had to be stopped.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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