A Westmeath farmer who lost almost 35 animals in two separate sheep kills over two consecutive nights has pleaded with rural dog owners to make sure that their pets are kept secure at night.
The farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was checking on his flock on his farm outside Mullingar at around 6am on Friday morning when he came upon two dead ewes.
Following this, he found more than a dozen dead lambs following an attack by what he suspects to be a pack of dogs.
In the hours that followed, another part of the farmer's flock in a nearby field were attacked, and he believes the attacks were carried out by the same dogs from the previous morning.
In total over the two nights, the farmer lost four sheep and 30 lambs, while another injured sheep died in the days that followed the attack.
The farmer said that there are many other animals on his farm which have been traumatised by what happened, and he fears that they may have to be put down as a result.
"People don’t realise the harm that their pets can do," he said.
The farmer said that he reported both incidents to An Garda Síochána and the matters are being investigated.
