A WARNING shot has been issued to dog owners after a lamb was mauled in Tanworth in Arden.
An image showing the sheep missing the skin from his back leg and with deep bite marks was posted on facebook and has since been shared some 1,500 times.
It was posted by Mr Doody from Solihull, who works alongside his father at livestock transport company M Doody & Son.
Mr Doody said: “To the thoughtless coward of the Tanworth in Arden community, who has let their dog off the lead in a field of ewes and lambs at the bottom of the church yard, you have left this poor lamb suffering deep lacerations to his rear leg, because you have taken no notice of the ‘keep dogs on a lead’ sign.
“Any dogs seen roaming off a lead in the field will be shot.
“This little chap had a rough start as it is. His mother didn’t have enough milk so my mother kept him going by topping him up on a bottle. She found him. She’s distraught. Not fair.”
The attack is believed to have taken place on Sunday (March 19) between 7.30am and 10am.
It is not known whether the lamb survived.
Residents from Tanworth and the surrounding areas have taken to facebook to voice their upset at the attack.
Many continue to urge dog walkers to keep their pets on a lead while walking near livestock. Some fellow farmers even say they have shot dogs because of an attack and have also had to shoot lambs to put them out of pain.
The attack is one of a spate across south Warwickshire, with farmers shooting five dogs earlier this year.
The incidents at farms in Daventry and Leamington saw the dogs kill a number of pregnant sheep.
Police are warning walkers to keep their dogs on a lead around livestock.
PC Mike Barnett said: “We are at the very beginning of lambing season and we are already starting to have problems with dogs. Farmers are within their rights to shoot dogs worrying sheep on their land.
“To lose sheep and unborn lambs has a big effect on farmers’ livelihoods. To lose a loved pet causes huge upset for dog owners too.
“All it takes to avoid this distress is to keep dogs on leads and make sure they cannot get out and run loose.”
Farmers can give signage to put up on their properties by contacting local police. Visit www.warwickshire.police.uk/myarea to find out more.
Dog owners can visit www.warwickshire.police.uk for advice and information.
