SHOCKING! Distressing images of dead sheep dumped in Laois
Shocking images have emerged of dead and decaying farm animals that have been illegally dumped in Laois.
Several rotting sheep and a dead calf have been discovered dumped in a bog near Mountmellick.
Forest Bog is an area long targeted by illegal dumpers, but the dumped animals are "an all-time low" says the local man who took these photos of them.
Paul Lalor is a keen nature photographer and it is not the first time he has highlighted issues of illegal dumping in what is a wildlife area.
However this time is the worst he has seen.
"It's terrible. God knows what they died of. My dog wanted to go over to it, and I'm sure birds and foxes have been eating them," he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.
He said he was contacted by Laois County Council's environment section who offered to remove the carcasses, despite it not being their responsibility.
"Whoever dumped these has no respect for animals or the general public. If they died of unnatural causes, it's a public health issue," Paul Lalor said.
He made the following statement when posting his photos.
"How low can you go? We thought we had seen it all when it comes to fly-tipping on lower Forest Bog. But an all-time low has been reached with the dumping of dead farm animals, sheep in this case.
"Who knows what they died from. Whoever is responsible, they have no respect for animals or the public and if caught they should never be let keep animals ever again," Mr Lalor said.
Laois County Council's Environment Section who deal with public litter complaints, say that the matter would be one for the veterinary office at the Department of Agriculture.
A comment has been sought from the department.