“It started on April 10,” recalls Jean-François Moré, who had five sheep killed, plus a lamb, devoured on the spot. This Dinéaultais lives in Meilh-Dour, on the banks of the Aulne. The other attacks all took place in the northeast quarter of the commune. Not far from there, the same day, but at the Rozarnou mill, four deer, locked in a fenced park, fell under the fangs. “They belong to my neighbors who live in the Paris region,” explains Jean-Yves Bergos. “A pregnant female, weighing around 50 kg, was slaughtered and her entrails devoured. She was dragged about 30 yards. These dogs must be strong, ”assures the former breeder. “The male struggled, he continues, but he was attacked from behind and from the flank and ended up dying in the pond”. The bodies of the other two deer have not been found.
A video of the dogs
A few days later, Jean-François Moré came face to face with the dogs prowling around his home. “They wanted to jump on me, despite the stick I had, but my German shepherd scared them away,” he says. “Now that they have tasted the pleasure of hunting and blood, they will start again,” he assures us. Suddenly, he installed a camera and was thus able to obtain images of the predators. We can make out two dogs, a black and a light brown, of the Beauceron and Labrador cross type. Complaints have been filed with the Châteaulin gendarmerie but the dogs have not yet been identified.
€2,000 loss for the Menez-Hom sheepfold
The biggest attack occurred on April 24. This time at Patrick Sastre, from the Menez-Hom sheepfold. Its pastures are also in the same area. “I had fifteen ewes and a lamb killed as well as ten wounded animals which will not survive. They only took a few bites, but that’s enough,” laments the organic shepherd. In addition to the psychological impacts and the extra work, the loss amounts to €2,000. “In the absence of officials, I’m out of pocket,” he rages. The breeder now brings in certain animals every evening, but he has neither the time nor the space to do the same for all of them.
The mayor takes matters into his own hands
The mayor, Christian Horellou, who came to lend his support, learns that other citizens have reported to him that they have lost animals. And still others told him of their fright after their encounter with the “wild animals” during their walk. “And even in the very busy Chap wood,” he warns. Also, the first city councilor issued an order to recall the ban on letting dogs wander. The chosen one also has testimonials from people who have seen the dogs attack deer. As such, the French Office for Biodiversity should take charge of the matter.
Practice
The victims of sheep attacks have launched a kitty to support them: www.cotizup.com