Farmer speaks out after sickening crossbow attack on sheep
Claire Crowther with the crossbow arrow removed from the sheep. Photo: Stuart Littleford.
A Saddleworth farmer has branded a crossbow attacker as cruel and cowardly after an attempt to kill one of his sheep.
Chris Crowther, of Greenfield, spotted the female pedigree sheep in distress on his land near to Dovestone Reservoir at around 2pm on Saturday not eating and unable to walk. On further examination he noticed a crossbow bolt sticking out of the side of its ribs – it had virtually gone all the way through its body.
The arrow deep in the sheep's side.
With help from his son he managed to get the animal back to the farm. They were then able to remove the bolt using a local anaesthetic and administer antibiotics.
The attack comes after a number of sheep have gone missing from fields in recent months. Mr Crowther believes the sheep are being taken to sell on for food.
He said: “The person or persons responsible for this cruel and cowardly attack would probably have been trying to kill it for food, I have had over fifty sheep go missing from my fields in recent months.
“If they had killed it we would probably never have noticed the crossbow, it would have just been taken away, it’s only because they missed its vital organs it survived and we found it.”
He added: “They must have used a very high powered weapon to inflict such deep injuries.”
Mr Crowthers daughter Claire, 21, has been helping to nurse the animal back to health and says they think it will probably survive the ordeal.
People are being asked to report any suspicious activity on or near farmland to the police.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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