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Patrick Long, from outside Carlingford, Co Louth, checked his sheep at 7am on Tuesday morning and all was well. However, just half an hour after he got home he received a phonecall to say that his sheep were being attacked by a dog.
A neighbour was on the scene and managed to shoot the dog before he maimed any sheep, though Patrick is concerned about the in lamb ewes suffering abortions.
“We got him in time but we don’t know what stress damage it has done,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal. “If there is any aborted lambs I’d say it will be the dog attack. They will be shook for a while now.”
He says the man who owned the dog arrived on the scene and promised to compensate the farmer if any issues with lambs arrive.
Black spot
The Cooley Peninsula has become something of a black spot for sheep attacks with a number of incidents reported this spring.
“Lucky enough we are getting them shot,” said Matthew McGreehan from Louth IFA. “When is the minister going to realise we have a problem? The minister and the Government have to take some responsibility on this.”
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