Local farmer Fay Johnson, made a horrific discovery early on Christmas Eve, finding the savaged bodies of three sheep as part of a routine inspection of her flock at The Great Oakley Estate.
Fay found the bodies at 830 am. Unusually when she arrived, the flock was bunched together in the corner of the field next to the farmyard rather than grazing across the field. The dead sheep were quickly found, lying against the fence lines either side of the field. It was obvious from their injuries that they had been attacked by a dog or dogs, probably on the day before. The rural crime team has been informed. The sheep were young ‘ewe lambs’ – 9 months old – which are young sheep brought into the flock to breed from next year onwards. The saving grace in this incident is that the sheep were not in lamb as this would have had a devastating effect on the whole flock.
Fay said, “We desperately need to increase awareness amongst dog owners of the importance of keeping dogs on a lead and under control when near livestock, regardless of breed or temperament of dog. It’s not only the physical injuries caused by dog attacks but the stress of the chase which can cause death and can cause sheep to abort unborn lambs. Dog attacks such as this cause horrific and needless suffering to livestock and is traumatic for all of us involved in the aftermath. It really is awful to see animals suffer this way. We would encourage anyone who witnessed/witnesses a dog attack to report it as soon as possible to ensure the animals aren’t left suffering.”
Fay noted that she has grazed sheep at Great Oakley Park for two years, stating, “We are very grateful to all those dog walkers who respectfully keep their dogs on a lead and enjoy the sight of the sheep in the park.”
Following the attack, The Great Oakley Estate has indefinitely removed the permissive footpath which crosses the field the sheep are grazing. Alexander de Capell Brooke of The Great Oakley Estate, said. “This was a horrific attack by a dog whose owner has clearly and without permission let their dog off the lead.
“In view of this horrific attack, the permissive path across this field will be closed indefinitely. Permissive rights of way are just that – they are not public footpaths. They are granted by landowners at their discretion so that people may have wider access to and better understanding of the countryside. When incidents such as this occur, we have to close the footpaths to protect livestock.”
Alexander continued. “We would strongly encourage any walkers at the time to come forward. If anyone knows anything about the incident they should contact the police, asking for the rural crime unit.”
