Public urged to report stray dogs following attacks
The attacks occurred in the Castlerea area of Co Roscommon and at Mountmellick, Co Laois.
The Roscommon attack happened last weekend.
Gardaí believe that up to seven dogs may have been involved in the attack on a 95-strong flock of in-lamb ewes.
A total of 46 ewes were killed and a further seven may have to be put down due to their injuries.
It was the second sheep attack in the area in recent months.
IFA county development officer Adrian Leady said attacks were happening at night-time and that the most vulnerable sheep were on outlying farms where farmers couldn’t hear distress noises.
“A lot of ewes heavily in-lamb were killed. It’s a serious loss and a lot of damage was done to the sheep left alive,” Mr Leady said.
He said the owner was a top sheep farmer and had suffered considerably as a result of the dogs’ attack.
“People should keep their dogs under control at all times, but particularly at night-time,” Mr Leady said.
He said that, collectively, dogs could do a lot of damage and if they had killed sheep before they would do it again.
The only way of preventing that, he added, was to have such dogs put down.
“If a person can’t keep a dog under control they shouldn’t have one.”
Mr Leady also pointed out that, if identified, the dogs’ owners could be left with a substantial bill to compensate farmers for their loss.
Gardaí have appealed for anybody with information on that attack to contact Castlerea Garda Station at 094 9621630.
Mountmellick farmer Henry Burns lost 14 sheep during the Christmas period when his flock was attacked by two dogs.
Six were killed, but more had to be put down because of the severity of their injuries.
He said the damage to his flock was awful.
Mr Leady said that people who see stray dogs in the vicinity of sheep should immediately warn farmers.
He said this was important especially as it was coming into the lambing season.
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