Island crofter's horror after five sheep are mauled to death

A CROFTER has spoken of his horror after five of his sheep died and another three were badly injured in an attack by dogs.

Iain Macdonald, from Minish, North Uist, found three of his sheep dead and a further five savaged and bleeding in a field close to his home. One of the injured sheep died the day after the attack, another two weeks later.

Mr Macdonald, a development officer with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, keeps 100 sheep on two crofts.

He said he initially found two dead ewes in a field with a lot of wool missing and then discovered another animal bleeding. He said the rest of the flock were "spooked" and refused to come off the hill as normal for feeding. He claims to know which dogs are responsible but their owners deny it.

He said neighbouring crofters who use lands adjoining his croft at lambing time are now nervous about moving their sheep in.

Mr Macdonald says the immediate cost of losing five sheep is about 400, but he faces an as yet unknown loss from sheep which may have aborted their lambs from the stress of the attack.

A spokesman from Northern Constabulary said: "We are treating this incident as a crime."