Gardaí told the Irish Farmers Journal that they received a complaint in Carrigart, Co Donegal, on Wednesday that a number of lambs had been drowned. The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the number of animals killed is between five and 10.

The man who reported the incident claimed his sheep had been driven into the sea by a dog.

Local media reported that the sheep belonged to a butcher.

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Earlier this month, a Co Laois farmer found five sheep dead and several injured after dog attack on his flock.

With puppies a popular Christmas present, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed this week reminded dog owners that regulations in force since March 2016 require all dogs over 12 weeks to be microchipped and registered on an approved database.