Savage attack by dogs leaves 15 sheep dead

Police investigate as devastated farmer counts the costs

A farmer has been left devastated after 15 of his sheep died in a dog attack on Monday night.

William Pynn arrived at the field in Great Pested Farm in Challock with his son Alex to discover some of his flock of 30 Romney sheep had been killed.

He had been alerted by a neighbour who discovered the scene when she checked on her horse that morning.

He said: “It was a horrible sight. There were three sheep with their throats ripped out, but I could see one was still breathing.

“Three are definitely dead, but we are going to lose more because they are so badly hurt they will have to be put to sleep.

“They have all got bite marks, five or six have broken legs and they were just left scattered across the field. It is so upsetting. They were my son’s first flock and we had some really good ewe lambs.”

Mr Pynn, who lives in Pope Street, Godmersham, added that it is not the first time his animals have been attacked.

He said: “We have had this before, several years ago, by two dogs in Canterbury. It’s obviously a dog or a pack of dogs this time because you can see the paw prints in the mud.

“I just want to warn people and make them aware that this sort of thing is going on. I don’t know where these dogs have come from.

“Obviously we hope to find out what happened and there is no way we are going to leave the rest of the sheep here for it to happen again.”

A police spokesman confirmed they were called to the farm on Tuesday morning.

He said: “It appears the sheep have been attacked by a dog and several had to be put down.

“The sheep were attacked at some time between 1pm on Monday and 8am on Tuesday when the injured sheep were seen by a member of the public.

“It is not yet clear exactly how it happened.”

As well as the three sheep initially found dead, the others died later from their injuries or heart attacks. Anyone with information should contact PC Ashley Moore, on 01233 896144, quoting reference 04-229.

‘It was a horrible sight. There were three sheep with their throats ripped out, but I could see one was still breathing’

Pictures: Paul Amos FM3493007, FM3492999 Above, farmer Alex Pynn with the shocked and wounded flock that survived; and left, one of the sheep that did not survive the attack

FM3493009 Alex Pynn with a sheep whose ear was chewed by a dog during the attack