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A young boy, aged seven, was left deeply upset after discovering several dead lambs inside a bag while participating in a community litter-picking event with his family. Ursula Bradley, the boy’s mother, described how difficult it was to answer his many questions following the distressing find. Alongside the bag holding the lambs, the remains of other decomposed animals were also uncovered scattered in nearby hedgerows and ditches.
The grim findings were located along a rural road close to the village of Cappagh in County Tyrone. Ursula Bradley expressed her shock, saying, “We found two more dead lambs on the same road, it’s the last thing you expect to find, it was awful for someone to dump them like that.” She also highlighted the emotional impact on local families, especially her son, who was left wondering how he could help the animals: “There are a lot of families that walk these roads and my son was very upset that night, he was asking what he could do for the lambs, it was very upsetting.”
Mid Ulster District Council addressed the incident after being informed, liaising with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera). Officials from Daera’s local veterinary office investigated but noted that the lambs were untagged, which meant the owner could not be traced. A spokesperson urged anyone with information about the situation to contact the veterinary office directly. Meanwhile, Independent councillor Kevin McElvogue regretted that this was not an isolated case, stating, “It has happened too many times in recent years, we’ve had lambs dumped, calves dumped, horses dumped, it makes me sick to my stomach.” He emphasized the importance of responsible disposal, urging, “If you have a dead animal, please dispose of them properly, there are companies locally that do it, it’s the right thing to do.”
In recent weeks, concerns about animal welfare have grown across the Mid Ulster District, especially after two dead horses were discovered near a wet ditch at the back of a field, where they remained for two weeks before removal. Daera oversees the welfare of farmed animals, while local councils manage the care of domestic pets, including horses. Court records obtained show that in Northern Ireland, over the last five years, there have been 262 convictions related to animal cruelty and welfare offenses, with nearly 75% involving male offenders. Additionally, environmental authorities documented over 3,400 waste dumping cases between 2020 and 2025, of which more than 150 involved animal carcasses. Councillor McElvogue commented on the broader issue, saying, “We have had problems with litter and waste dumping, and the whole reason we organised the litter-pick was for the community to come together and improve their area.” The presence of dead animals being dumped has escalated the severity of these environmental challenges. As Ursula Bradley put it, “I understand that animals will die in farming situations and like that, it’s inevitable but there is a humane way of disposing them, not this, it’s actually disgusting.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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