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THE discovery of three dead calves in a river near Moorlough has once again raised concerns over illegal animal dumping in the area.
The grim find came to light over the weekend, thanks to a dog with a keen nose.
Local lady, Claire Robb was out walking her dog on Saturday afternoon when the pet – literally – sniffed out the carcasses.
“I was out for a walk and, all of a sudden, the dog sniffed something and started towards the river,” Ms Robb explained. “I went to investigate and was horrified when I discovered three, fairly well-sized calves, lying dead in the river. Immediately I called the council and asked to speak with environmental health but was told that DAERA were the right people to call as we were dealing with dead animals. I called them and they promised to send someone out to investigate, not only the calves but also to analyse the water in case any toxins or diseases from the dead animals entered the river.”
The local lady says this is not the first time she has encountered dead animals in the river.
“A few years ago, lambs were put into bags and dumped in the river as well,” she recalled.
“The water in that river flows into Moorlough one way and I know that people go swimming in the lough and down through Ballymagorry, Artigarvan and into Lough Foyle in the other direction. That’s numerous places where any toxins or diseases can be spread and possibly harm people. If farmers don’t have the machinery to safely dispose of animals they no longer need then, in my opinion, they shouldn’t have them and be punished accordingly for illegal dumping.”
When contacted this week, a spokesperson for DAERA said, ““DAERA can confirm that this case has been investigated by inspectorate staff from Strabane Divisional Veterinary Office. The calves were untagged and therefore the keeper of the animals could not be identified.
“The landowner has been contacted to arrange for disposal of the carcasses from their land.”
