Anger after 20 lambs are killed in 'savage' Christmas Day dog attack

Around 20 sheep suffered “tortured deaths” at a farm in County Limerick following a savage Christmas Day attack by dogs.

Eddie Moriarty, Limerick IFA sheep chairman from nearby Anglesboro, said 20 ewe lambs were killed by dogs and more were badly injured. He spoke to a man who saw the carcasses dotted around the field.

“He said, ‘It was the most pitiful sight I ever saw’. He said it was a lonesome sight.  He was there when they came to take them away,” said Mr Moriarty, who added that more sheep will die in the coming months from the stress of the attack.

A dog killed 16 lambs belonging to him around 10 years ago.

“They are stressed sheep for the rest of their lives. It does affect sheep badly. I saw it myself with my own sheep. More died of stress months later.

“The dog who killed mine was a pet for children. Any dog will kill sheep. It is a dog’s natural instinct to kill sheep,” said Mr Moriarty.

He called on dog owners to take responsibility for their pets and know where they are at all times. The Limerick IFA sheep chairman also hit out at the enforcement of regulations and lack thereof.

“There are no rules being enforced about licences. There are three government departments looking after the control of dogs - you have justice, agriculture and rural and community development. They just can’t settle among themselves who is taking full responsibility. 

“There is a dog control bill going on for two years. As we speak today there are sheep being killed all over the country and there is nothing being said about them. It’s just that this one got out,” said Mr Moriarty.

Limerick IFA chairman Sean Lavery said the incident over Christmas was a bad attack.

“People need to know where their dogs are. The dogs only kill a few. The rest of them are wounded and go into shock. It is a tortured death.

"When ewes are in lamb it can cause abortions. They would all be lambing in March," said Mr Lavery, who is a sheep farmer.

A garda spokesperson said they are aware of an incident where several sheep were killed in the Galbally area of County Limerick - close to the Tipperary border.

However, they added that no offences have been disclosed to date.