An Garda Síochána is investigating after a sheep was killed with its throat cut in Co Kerry.
Gardaí were alerted to an incident of animal cruelty that occurred on a farm in Clonkeen on Sunday 5 January.
“The incident occurred at approximately 3.30pm at a farm. A sheep was killed during the incident,” confirmed a spokesperson for an Garda Síochána.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, the farmer whose sheep was killed said that he found a man trying to put the dead sheep with its throat cut into a car.
“I fed [the sheep] on my way to another farm and when I came back, he was at the gate with the sheep. His car was pulled in at the gate, he had the sheep down on the ground behind the car. I thought it was a deer hunter, but when I got closer, I knew it was my sheep,” he said.
“He was standing over her with the knife. He had the boot open and he asked me to lift her in with him. She was dead at this stage, what can you do when your see her throat cut like that.
“Other than the proof we have, no one would believe us. Gardaí who have been around 20 or 30 years said they had never seen something like this.”
A spokesperson for an Garda Síochána said that investigations are ongoing.
Second incident
Since the gardaí searched the scene, the farmer has found a second sheep of his that was killed and skinned.
“[Thursday] morning, I found the second sheep. I found her carcase on a laneway up from the farm where she was skinned and gutted. It’s very hard to hold your head,” he said.
“The blatancy of it; it wasn’t even 20ft off the main Cork-Kerry road. We want justice.
“With the price of them; these two ewes were carrying twins. But it’s the way they died, how it happened, that’s the worst of it,” added the farmer.
“I was feeding them every day because when they’re close to lambing, you need to feed them. But we took [the rest of the ewes] out of there that day. I stayed there that night until a neighbour came with a tractor and trailer and the sheep were taken out.”
Stamp this out
The Irish Farmers Journal also spoke to Irish Farmers Association (IFA) Kerry chair Jason Fleming, who said they are working with gardaí to find a resolution.
“The gardaí have been very supportive of the farmer. They asked for people in the local area to be vigilant and to contact their Garda station if they see something suspicious,” Fleming said.
“We’re calling for this to be stamped out firstly and the full ranges of the law have to be implemented here.
“The stress on the farmer is frightening. To pull into your gap and look at his sheep and to see this happening, especially when the sheep is carrying lambs.”
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An Garda Síochána is investigating after a sheep was killed with its throat cut in Co Kerry.
Gardaí were alerted to an incident of animal cruelty that occurred on a farm in Clonkeen on Sunday 5 January.
“The incident occurred at approximately 3.30pm at a farm. A sheep was killed during the incident,” confirmed a spokesperson for an Garda Síochána.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, the farmer whose sheep was killed said that he found a man trying to put the dead sheep with its throat cut into a car.
“I fed [the sheep] on my way to another farm and when I came back, he was at the gate with the sheep. His car was pulled in at the gate, he had the sheep down on the ground behind the car. I thought it was a deer hunter, but when I got closer, I knew it was my sheep,” he said.
“He was standing over her with the knife. He had the boot open and he asked me to lift her in with him. She was dead at this stage, what can you do when your see her throat cut like that.
“Other than the proof we have, no one would believe us. Gardaí who have been around 20 or 30 years said they had never seen something like this.”
A spokesperson for an Garda Síochána said that investigations are ongoing.
Second incident
Since the gardaí searched the scene, the farmer has found a second sheep of his that was killed and skinned.
“[Thursday] morning, I found the second sheep. I found her carcase on a laneway up from the farm where she was skinned and gutted. It’s very hard to hold your head,” he said.
“The blatancy of it; it wasn’t even 20ft off the main Cork-Kerry road. We want justice.
“With the price of them; these two ewes were carrying twins. But it’s the way they died, how it happened, that’s the worst of it,” added the farmer.
“I was feeding them every day because when they’re close to lambing, you need to feed them. But we took [the rest of the ewes] out of there that day. I stayed there that night until a neighbour came with a tractor and trailer and the sheep were taken out.”
Stamp this out
The Irish Farmers Journal also spoke to Irish Farmers Association (IFA) Kerry chair Jason Fleming, who said they are working with gardaí to find a resolution.
“The gardaí have been very supportive of the farmer. They asked for people in the local area to be vigilant and to contact their Garda station if they see something suspicious,” Fleming said.
“We’re calling for this to be stamped out firstly and the full ranges of the law have to be implemented here.
“The stress on the farmer is frightening. To pull into your gap and look at his sheep and to see this happening, especially when the sheep is carrying lambs.”
Read more
Ongoing dog attacks on sheep
Sheep farmer condemns negligent dog owners after attack
Farmers call for action over rural trespassers
In pictures: deadly dog attack drives ewes off cliff
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