Dogsey

LOOSE dogs savaged 17 sheep during an attack at a farm in Kent.

Farmer Alex Pynn said three of the sheep had their throats ripped out and a further 14 animals died later from heart attacks, broken legs and other injuries.

Mr Pynn, who farms at Great Pested Farm, in Challock, said he managed to capture the two lurcher dogs and returned them to their owners after finding a telephone number and postcode on their collars.

The owners agreed to have the dogs put down and Mr Pynn will be compensated for the loss to his business.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: “The farmer contacted Kent Police and has told us he has reached an amicable agreement with the owner of the dogs, so at present no further police action is required.

“The dogs had apparently got loose and had gone missing when the incident occurred.”

Farmers Guardian’s Take the Lead campaign was launched earlier this year to raise awareness of dog attacks on livestock.

It comes after FG research found there were more than 1,000 dog attacks on Britain’s farms last year.

A Co Antrim farmer has spoken of his shock of finding that his sheep had been savagely attacked by a dog at the end of last week.

Speaking to Farming Life Ryan Gordon said: “I was just not expecting the sight that greeted me when I checked on the sheep on Friday, it was absolutely shocking. I have no idea why the dog has gone for them but it has mauled them really badly.”

Mr Gordon who rents land on the Ballygarvey Road about a mile outside of Broughshane said that he had checked his sheep on Wednesday and at that time they had been perfectly fine but that by Friday afternoon they had been attacked.

He found that two of his sheep had been killed and two had been left injured.
He said: “You just aren’t expecting to find your livestock to be in such a distressed state and then to see the injuries that they had sustained it was really shocking. I had never seen anything like this before and I hope I never see it again.”

Both the PSNI and the dog warden have been informed of the attack. Mr Gordon said: “I have had the dog warden out with me and they have inspected the injuries which have been inflicted on the sheep. The warden has told me that they will be keeping a close eye on dog licences in the area.”

Mr Gordon hopes that the attack on his sheep will be a warning to both sheep farmers and dog owners.

He said: “I don’t know what will come of this incident but I do believe that its a warning to farmers to keep a close eye on their flocks but more importantly to dog owners to be responsible and keep their dogs under control and not to let them stray.”