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Louth farmer Gerry Rice found seven of his in lamb ewes dead on Sunday after they were attacked by dogs. Two are still missing.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Rice, who farms in the Benagh area of Cooley, said: “I found them on Sunday morning. It happened either Friday or Saturday. I lost seven ewes and two more are missing. They were all pregnant.
“I think it was two dogs that were involved, they were ripped asunder, one was decapitated.
“There was another 30 pregnant ewes in the field. I’ll be scanning them in late January and I know that there will be more fatalities by then, abortions as a result of stress.
“I just dread the scanning. It’s a loss to my livelihood.”
Rice said that dog owners need to be advised on their dogs.
“It’s very disheartening. Dog owners can’t believe their dogs would do this sort of damage. It’s a disgrace.”
Louth IFA chair Gerard Melia said that there needs to be more accountability when it comes to dog attacks on sheep.
“People have to be held accountable for their own animals.”
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