Multiple sheep die after attacks by loose dogs near Hereford
Conrad and Stein Haughton with the Badger Face sheep © Craig Haughton Warning: article contains graphic images
More than 20 sheep have been killed following savage attacks by loose dogs near Hereford.
Smallholder Craig Haughton said two out-of-control Alsatian Husky cross dogs ran riot among his small flock of 25 Welsh Mountain Badger Face pedigree sheep in the early hours of Tuesday 30 May.
See also: What to do if you’re a victim of… sheep worrying
Nine sheep were killed during the attack in a field in the village of Dinedor, near Hereford. A neighbour raised the alarm with Mr Haughton, but the dogs escaped.
The same dogs returned two days later, in the early hours of Thursday 1 June, and killed two more sheep on Mr Haughton’s farm.
The dogs killed a further 12 sheep on neighbouring farms the same morning.
The owner of the dogs is unknown.
© Craig Haughton
Mr Haughton told Farmers Weekly the attacks had left him and his two sons, Conrad, aged nine, and Stein, aged five, feeling devastated.
“Our two boys are helping us to build a Badger Face flock of sheep, but after all the hard work it feels like we are back to where we started three years ago,” he said.
“One of the lambs that was killed was like a pet to the boys; they hand-reared it because it had lost its mother.”
Mr Haughton said he was concerned for the safety of local children playing in gardens during the school half-term holidays, if the dogs were to attack them.
Farmers Weekly has requested a comment from West Mercia Police after both incidents were reported.