Longford County Council has issued a reminder following a reported incident of sheep worrying in the Moydow area of Co Longford on Friday 26 Janurary, in which one lamb was left injured and others missing for a number of hours.

Longford’s Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) sheep representative Luke Casey said: “The dogs strayed from a rural housing estate into the field of ewes and newborn lambs, which could be seen from the kitchen window.”

Casey told the Irish Farmers Journal that “the farmer was very worried following the incident and spent the day looking for lambs and pairing them back up with the ewes”.

“We have to highlight to people living in these rural areas that aren’t connected to farming and have dogs as pets that [the dogs] can’t be left wandering freely all day.

“Fellow sheep farmers in the area have flocks lambing in the coming months and they are very concerned about the issues with dogs in the area,” the Longford IFA sheep representative said.

Longford County Council stated that “dog owners are reminded that it is their responsibility to keep their animals under appropriate control at all times or face a fine or prosecution if their dog is found to be involved in livestock worrying”.

Gardaí have been notified and the local dog warden will pursue the matter. To report any incidents of straying dogs, contact Longford County Council on 043-334 3462.