An investigation is under way after an extensive sheep kill in Moneygall, Co Offaly at the weekend.
Fifty sheep on the farm of local man John Healy were killed by dogs over Friday night and Saturday morning.
The discovery was made by Mr Healy's teenage sons on Saturday after their grandmother has raised the alert that sheep had fled into her garden, a kilometre from their field.
The teenagers went to the field and discovered carcasses spread around the land.
Mr Healy has now had to put the rest of his sheep indoors for fear of another attack.
A neighbouring farmer has also housed his sheep.
Mr Healy has appealed for the owners of the dogs to come forward, saying that whoever owns them will have to know as "they went home covered in blood".
"They need to be put down or they will attack again," he added.
Gardaí searched the area looking for the dogs after they were alerted to the incident.
The Irish Farmers' Association has said at least 12 sheep were also killed in a separate dog attack at Moyvalley in Co Kildare, with a further eight sheep missing.
IFA Sheep Chairman Kevin Comiskey said that "the devastation caused by these attacks is shocking".
"For any farmer to go and check your stock and to find a scene like this is very distressing," he added.
Mr Comiskey said that stronger regulation is needed around dog ownership.
