Vicious dogs killed or maimed up to 60 sheep during third Longford sheep kill in 24-hours

Gardaí are investigating two sheep kills on farms in the Clonart area and a third 'devastating' one where up to 60 sheep have been killed, injured or are missing from a farm on the outskirts of Longford town.

Longford Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) sheep chair Joe Esler described the third 'devastating' attack as being a sight of 'carnage in the field' for the impacted owner and farmer.

Gardaí descended on the farms in the Clonart area of Longford following the first two attacks on Thursday, March 12 where several sheep were killed.

It is understood the farmer on the second farm decided the best thing to do was to phone the local dog warden and two St Bernard dogs were brought to a local dog pound on Thursday evening.

Longford Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) sheep chairperson Joe Esler said the dogs managed to escape from the facility and ran onto a farm on the outskirts of Longford town where '34 lambs were killed, injured or are missing and 21 ewes were killed'.

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Mr Esler said while the first two attacks in the Clonart area were sad, they were not nearly as bad as the 'devastating' third case on the outskirts of the county town.

"The first two were (on the farms of) two neighbours, they had some killed and some injured and they were scattered.

"As bad as that was they were able to cope with it a little bit."

"The dogs were still there and the Dog Warden came out and seized the two dogs.

"These people (the owners) live quite closely to the dog owners so they are very reluctant to get involved."

Mr Esler said the dogs then subsequently escaped from the pound under what is believed to be 'some sort of suspicious circumstances' last Friday morning.

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"They went the short distance then and they went into the third farmer, who has a non residential farm as well and there was approximately 34 lambs killed, injured or missing and 21 ewes killed with a further five or six still missing or injured."

Mr Esler said the third farmer's land borders on to the Camlin and the sheep ran into the 'water and everything'.

"He was alerted by a neighbour phoning him and saying, 'You have a sheep on the road and the sheep is injured'.

"He thought it was after being hit by a car and he rushed over and he got the sheep in off the road and then he saw the carnage in the field.

"There was carcasses everywhere and the two St Bernard dogs were there again.

"He had to ring for help and a man came and shot one of the dogs and injured the second one who got away.

Mr Esler said a search took place and the following morning investigating gardaí recovered the second dog, who was injured but still alive.

He stated the Longford Dog Warden then took possession of the animal who was euthanised.

"The owner wasn't cooperating so the Dog Warden couldn't put the dogs down immediately, they had to go a legal way about it. "

Mr Esler said the injured sheep hed to be euthanased. The 'biggest discussion' in the aftermath of the killing of up to 60 sheep is 'it was avoidable' in his opinion.

"Number one and two was wrong and it was bad but the third one was avoidable.

"The second farmer is annoyed with himself because he had an opportunity to shoot the dogs.

"He could have done what every other farmer says he should have done and shoot them on the spot, but the farmer has to justify those actions afterwards."

Mr Esler said the injured sheep are facing being euthanased and there are several investigations taking place.

"Gardaí are investigating it and I'm sure Longford County Council is investigating how the dogs got out of the pound and all of that carry on."

Mr Esler stated that 'absolutely' questions need to be asked about how the dogs got out of the pound.

"Yes, farmer two is disgusted with himself that he could have taken very lethal steps but he didn't as he said, 'I'll do what I'm supposed to do'.

A Garda spokesman said Gardaí responded to a report concerning the death of a number of sheep in the Clonart, Longford area on March 12 and separately they "attended the scene at Aghareagh, Co Longford following a report of the death of a number of sheep".
Gardaí said investigations are ongoing.

The Longford Leader contacted Longford County Council prior to going to print and are awaiting comment from them.