A number of dead lambs were discovered on the side of the road by a family this week near the village of Cappagh, Co. Tyrone.
The animals were found by a mother and her child who were on a litter-picking walk on Tuesday (March 31).
When queried by Agriland on this issue, Mid Ulster Council said: “The council were made aware of this incident on Tuesday and has contacted the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), who are responsible for the investigation.”
Sinn Féin’s Eimear Carney is councillor for the Torrent area in Co. Tyrone.
She told Agriland: “I am disgusted about the grim discovery of dead lambs dumped at the side of the road in Cappagh.
“These were found during a community litter pick by a child, who is understandably very distressed.
“This is not the first case of deceased animals left on these rural roads.”
Cllr. Carney added: “It is inhumane and cruel to the animal.
“This is completely irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour and those involved should dispose of deceased animals properly, not for others to find.”
Fallen animals
There are rules and resources for dealing with fallen animals on both sides of the border.
According to DAERA, farmers “have a legal obligation to dispose of animals at the end of their productive life”.
“The livestock industry has a great deal to gain from maintaining public confidence in its ability to dispose of its waste in a safe and sustainable manner.”
Farmers in Northern Ireland can find out about resources for disposal of carcasses from their local government office.
For farmers in the Republic of Ireland, advice on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) website states: “A farmer/keeper must contact an animal collector as soon as possible after the discovery of the death of an animal and take note of the date and time of notification.
“A list of authorised animal collectors is available from Departmental Regional Veterinary Offices (RVO).”