Six sheep, two lambs and three geese have died following a dog attack at a farm in Burnley, Lancashire.
Newborn lambs were among the animals killed by the out-of-control dog, while three more sheep were injured and two had to be put down.
The attack being investigated by police has led to officers calling for dog owners to be responsible when walking near livestock.
The incident happened at the farm, owned by Lindsey and James Blake, on Thursday afternoon (23 March).
The couple said they discovered the dead and injured animals when they returned to their Lower Red Lees Farm.
Mrs Blake, 44, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I had never seen anything like it. I was sick, it was disgusting. They had their faces ripped off and their stomachs torn out.”
The couple had been on the farm for around 10 years and estimate that they have lost around £1,000 of livestock.
'A common problem'
PC Nigel Keates said he had dealt with six similar incidents last year. He said: “It’s a common problem, it is the unfortunate reality of what a pet dog can do in the hands of someone too stubborn to realise what can happen.
“The animals very rarely survive these sort of attacks.
“Sheep have to be bred to live in the surrounding area, so it’s taken years for the sheep to adapt to the land, and now they’re just gone. You can’t just buy them from the shop.
“People need to remember to keep their dogs on leads in rural areas.”
