Three dead calves were left dumped in a drain on the side of a road near Belclare, Co Galway, in recent days.

The decaying animals were discovered by a woman and her children while out walking, leaving the children involved horrified, according to Seán Canney TD.

Galway County Council arrived to the scene and removed the calves on Tuesday.

Criminal

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Canney said the individuals involved in dumping the animals don’t “deserve the right to be called a farmer”.

He described how the calves were left in a drain on a cul de sac road off the R333, near an entrance to a bog.

He said that there are four houses on the road, with a fifth under construction, and that it is likely that the individuals involved passed these properties before leaving the carcasses.

“They knew where they were putting them,” the Galway TD said.

Tags

Seán Canney TD said Galway County Council has checked the animals and confirmed they have no tags.

He asked if the calves could be DNA tested to try to chase down those responsible for the dumping, but was told that there would have to be a suspect herd to compare to and, in this case, there is no such herd to investigate.

The TD said what happened is “not right” and “nobody can condone or explain it”.

He explained that there is a way of disposing of dead livestock at a low cost to the farmer by bringing them to a legal knackery. He said “now the tax payer has to do it” due to the costs the council has incurred from the disposal of the animals.

Deputy Canney said it is important to highlight these cases and warned that it cannot continue.

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