A dog has killed 45 sheep in a bloody rampage as the farmer who found their dead and mutilated bodies says the grisly discovery was ‘absolutely traumatic’.
Police are investigating after eight ewes and 20 lambs were killed in the savage incident on a farm at Lamerton near Tavistock, Devon, overnight on Sunday.
A further 13 ewes and four lambs were savaged in the attack and had to be put down because of their brutal injuries.
And 14 lambs were left orphaned, with only four who were attacked surviving the devastating brutality.
Farmer Ali Dawe said the dog attacked over three fields and the faces of the wooly mammals were savaged when he found them.
He believes it could have been the work of more than one big dog was involved and he has found four inch wide paw prints of the dogs – as well as DNA.
Mr Dawe said: ‘Those dogs would have been very very tired with blood over their faces.
Farmer Ali Dawe said the dog attacked over three fields and the faces of the wooly mammals were savaged when he found them
Police are investigating after eight ewes and 20 lambs were killed in the savage incident on a farm at Lamerton near Tavistock, Devon, overnight on Sunday
A further 13 ewes and four lambs were savaged in the attack and had to be put down because of their brutal injuries
He believes it could have been the work of more than one big dog was involved and he has found four inch wide paw prints of the dogs – as well as DNA
‘We felt absolutely mortified, it didn’t sink in at first. We had to put some of the sheep out of their misery.
‘Some were predigree rare stock and you lose the blood lines. We have to replace them for an incident which should not have happened.
‘We have taken DNA from the puncture wounds – it’s never been done before, so hopefully we can prove that a dog has done it.’
The farmer explained that the innocent animals had been chased across the three fields and brutalised sheep were left stuck in gates and hedges they had tried to escape through.
Mr Dawe suspects that the vicious dogs were not locked in that night – and now fears they could come back.
He continued: ‘It’s very very emotional, just the thought of those poor mothers protecting their baby lambs.
‘It was all facial attacks and so many were still alive, that’s the horrible thing, they tried their best to protect their young.
‘It’s just like a game for these animals (dogs) – this is over 50 acres and they were scattered everywhere over streams, hedges, fences through gates.’
Farmer Ali Dawe (pictured) said the dog attacked over three fields and the faces of the wooly mammals were savaged when he found them
14 lambs were left orphaned, with only four who were attacked surviving the devastating brutality
Police say the sheep are believed to have been attacked by a dog or dogs and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward
The farmer explained that the innocent animals had been chased across the three fields and brutalised sheep were left stuck in gates and hedges they had tried to escape through
Mr Dawe suspects that the vicious dogs were not locked in that night – and now fears they could come back. Pictured: Surviving sheep
Police say the sheep are believed to have been attacked by a dog or dogs and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Dartmoor livestock protection officer Karla McKechnie said it was the worst attack she had ever seen – and told of how she was left ‘sickened’ by the incident.
‘I’ve been doing this job for some time now and I’ve dealt with some big attacks but I’ve got to say this pretty much tops it all,’ she told the BBC.
‘I don’t even feel angry, I feel saddened and sickened when a farmer phones you up and doesn’t know which way to turn.
‘It’s carnage and I feel desperate for them, absolutely desperate.’