A week before dead calf found in water supply by child is removed
IT took a week for a dead calf found by a child in Dunmain to be removed from the stream feeding into the Taylorstown water supply.
The child spotted the calf in the river at Dunmain Bridge on the L8076 and alerted a family member who reported the carcass to the authorities.
‘ This is happening all over the place. Animals are turning up in rivers and hedges dead because they’re worth nothing to farmers and it costs money to get rid of them,’ the man said.
‘In Louth five calves were found on the side of the road in a ditch. It’s happening with lambs and sheep as well.’
The dead calf was clearly visible to anyone looking over the bridge for more than a week.
‘My brother and his wife were out walking and their child threw a stone into the river and saw the calf. That river feeds into the water system. There is no excuse for treating an animal like that.’
No tags or identifying marks were found on the animal.
The local resident reported the carcass to Wexford County Council who referred him to the Department of Agriculture, who contacted a vet who assured the man that someone else would collect the animal, but that never happened.
‘An Irish Water official I rang said it’s OK, it’s treated water. They said it was nothing to do with them; that they have no authority to do anything with it. The guards are looking into it.’
The man pulled the calf out of the river. ‘On Monday the water was receding after the heavy rain so I could see the hooves so I managed to pull it out. If someone reported a bag of rubbish on the roadside this would have been dealt with quicker. It’s like they say about rats, for every one you see there are ten more. I’m just hoping there aren’t any more calves lying around out there.’
Deputy Verona Murphy said she contacted the environment department, adding that the calf was removed on Friday afternoon.