Suspected dog attack leaves 2 sheep dead and 3 injured in Ainsworth
Claire Stirrup keeps her flock of sheep on private land at Dearden Fold Farm in Ainsworth.
She checks on the sheep daily and when she went to tend to them on Tuesday, October 14, she found them “huddled together and skittish”.
Claire said: “I went over at about 6pm and knew something was wrong. They’re super tame and friendly and normally come running over to me.
“None of them came to the food bucket and they were in a cluster.”
The 54-year-old discovered that they had been attacked, leaving five of the flock injured, and the rest “terrified.”
Tragically, two of the sheep later died from their injuries and the others are still receiving veterinary treatment.
Claire Stirrup with her sheep (Image: supplied)
Claire added: “The sheep were like my babies, and all have names. Whoever did this had trespassed as it’s private land and has no public footpath access.
“We have an electric fence around the field, too, so it’s not like people can mistakenly enter.
“I can’t get my head around how people could leave animals to suffer like this. Dogs should be on a lead.
“We see it all the time, people coming in with dogs, and when we explain that they are trespassing, and that we have livestock in the field, they start arguing with us.
“There are many other areas of woodland and walks they can use instead, or they can hire a private field out if they want to run their dogs off lead.
READ NEXT:
“I have my own dogs but can’t take them near the sheep now, in case it makes them worse.
“I think it’s going to take a long time for the flock to get back to normal again.”
Her concerns come after an alpaca farmer in Bury also voiced concerns after one of her animals was mauled in another dog attack.
Deborah Fretti, 53, from Bury, owns the Meadowcroft Farm Alpacas, located off Lowercroft Road, with her business partner and neighbour Deborah Lyall, 62.
The family-run farm is now dealing with the aftermath after the herd was attacked by an off-lead dog on Monday, October 13, leaving two of the animals seriously injured and one fighting for his life.
Alpaca Norman ‘lost his nose’ in the eight-minute dog attack while trying to protect the youngest member of the herd, nine-month-old Chewbacca.
Two others – Dave and Chico – tried to help Norman fight back, but also sustained serious injuries to their jaw and ears in the process.
It only ended after a neighbour saw what was happening and managed to disarm the dog.
Ms Fretti told the Bury Times: “Education is vital. Everyone thinks that their dog would never attack and that they have control of their dogs – until they don’t.
“It is a legal requirement for dogs to be kept on a lead around livestock, but every day, we see them roaming free near the farm.
“The majority of people are amazing and will comply, but we get a lot who are rude, aggressive and entitled when we explain why their dogs need to be on a lead.
Norman and two others suffered ‘life-changing’ injuries after being attacked by an off-lead dog (Image: supplied)
“Dogs will go for the jugular and can do massive amounts of damage in a short space of time.
“If they attack our animals or come onto our land, we have the right to shoot dogs and we will do it.
“If you want it to run free, there are many other places to go without livestock. People need to be aware of the consequences for everyone involved.”
Source – INDIA TV
