Thirteen lambs were found dead on Drumsesk Road in Rostrevor, County Down, believed killed overnight between Friday 7:00pm and Saturday 7:45am. At least 11 lambs had their necks broken, and others were probably strangled. Police are appealing for information, describing it as a shocking crime with lambs' necks deliberately broken. According to farmer Kevin McGivern, he arrived at his field with his brother to feed the sheep at around 08:00 GMT on Saturday, with police arriving quickly at the scene.
This incident follows a recent investigation launched after two sheep were killed in County Antrim. Police in Larne received a report on Tuesday, March 17 that two sheep had been found dead in a field in the Glenarm area. The death of the two sheep appears to have been caused deliberately and not by an animal, with police describing it as a senseless and extremely cruel crime. The discovery of the dead animals in County Antrim follows a similar incident in County Down last week, but there is not believed to be any connection between the two cases.
In a separate case, a seven-year-old boy found dead lambs in a bag on a country road near Cappagh, County Tyrone. Decomposed carcasses of several other animals were found in hedges and ditches near the bag of dead lambs, and two more dead lambs were found on the same road by the family. Larger skeletal animal remains, possibly of horses or cows, were found in a ditch further down the road from the dead lambs near Cappagh.
Animal remains have been dumped in the Mid Ulster area multiple times in recent years, including lambs, calves, and horses. There has been a general problem of waste dumping and fly tipping in the Mid Ulster area in recent years. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency recorded more than 3,400 waste dumping incidents across Northern Ireland.
Horse neglect has also been reported in the region, with a horse having to be put down after being found having seizures in a muddy field outside Dungannon last month. Two more dead horses were found near a wet ditch at the back of the field, and it took two weeks to remove them.
In Cambridgeshire, four alpacas were mauled to death by two dogs, reported to be Rottweilers, near Wisbech St Mary. Two other alpacas were left with facial injuries needing emergency veterinary attention. Police seized the two dogs involved, and an investigation into attacking and worrying livestock is ongoing.
Alpacas and llamas were added to the list of protected livestock last month under the Dogs Protection of Livestock Amendment Act 2025. Dog attacks on livestock cost an estimated £1.95 million in 2025, up 10% from the previous year, with sheep and lambs most commonly attacked. One incident last year resulted in 44 sheep being killed by a dog.
In Sweden, the county administrative board conducted a control at a farm in December. The county administrative board found such serious deficiencies during the December control that the farm received a fine order. An employee at Ölandsgård was convicted for gross animal cruelty for kicking and hitting dairy cows. There is an ongoing investigation regarding a possible animal ban for two men, but the authorities will not comment on which man is under investigation. One defendant was acquitted in the case against the farmers. The county administrative board found several dead animals on the ground and a bull that could not stand up during an inspection at a farm in Jämtland County.
In France, gendarmes discovered about forty sheep carcasses piled up in an enclosure near dilapidated huts in Théding, near Forbach, following complaints about stray sheep. Some carcasses had probably been there for several months. Around 100 cattle were taken into care, and two calves were found dead.
There were 262 convictions for animal welfare or cruelty offences in Northern Ireland over the last five years, with almost 75% involving male offenders.
Reactions to the Rostrevor lamb killings have been strong, with Kevin McGivern describing the scene as devastating upon discovery. Police continue to investigate, but the identity and motive of the person(s) responsible remain unknown.
The implications of these incidents point to ongoing cruelty patterns and unknowns in investigations across multiple regions. Authorities face challenges in identifying perpetrators, determining motives, and enforcing animal welfare laws effectively.