Dogs maul sheep (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Dogs maul sheep

A FARMER has told of his trauma after 10 of his sheep were savaged to death by a pack of dogs.

The 33 year-old farmer, who does not want to be named, found the badly injured animals on New Years Eve morning in a field at a farm near Withington.

Six sheep were already dead and four had to be put down at the scene. Four more were taken to a nearby vets for treatment.

The farmer said: "Someone heard barking at 8pm on the Sunday night. "I had a phone call from a neighbouring farmer the next day.

"It was very traumatic, not from a financial point of view but because the sheep died such a violent death.

"They had their throats and backsides ripped out. Judging from the bite marks they must have been very large dogs. I had to put some of the sheep out of their misery as soon as I could.

"These dogs are extremely dangerous and could also be a danger to children and the general public."

The farmer has lost between £700 and £800 as a result of the attack.

Cotswolds rural beat officer PC Chris Skinner said: "It was a ferocious attack and very unusual for so many animals to be slaughtered at once.

"The dogs must have acted as a pack to herd them into one corner. Someone could have seen them as they would have been covered in blood on their mouth, jaws and bibs."

Farmers are entitled to shoot dogs which are worrying livestock under the Protection of Livestock Act of 1953 as long as he or she reports it to the police within 48 hours.

Police are appealing for anybody who has witnessed dogs running loose in the area or suffered any losses of livestock to contact them on 01242 521321 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.