PUPS DROWNED

The youngsters were playing close to the Cloghwater River when they discovered the lifeless young dogs which appeared to have been drowned deliberately.

Speaking to the Times on Monday, a spokesperson for Ballymoney Borough Council said they would be doing their utmost to identify those responsible for the apparent dumping of the animals - believed to be Spaniel-type crosses.

Police said they too are keen to detect whoever was behind the stomach-churning incident and appealed for the public's help in doing so.

"On Thursday 22 April the department received an anonymous complaint regarding the bodies of five dogs in the river close to Rosedermot Road, Cloughmills," said Environmental Warden Karen Mitchell.

"Council workers attended and removed the five bodies onto the river bank.

"Myself and Cleansing Officer Clive Anderson commenced an investigation into the matter.

"On inspecting the dogs it was found that there appeared to be no obvious physical injuries and the young dogs appeared to be around five months old still having their first teeth.

"They appeared to have been good strong pups. "Both my opinion and Clive's was that these young pups had been deliberately drowned.

"Whoever had owned the dogs had obviously been unable to re-home them.

"The find had been discovered by children who were extremely shocked and upset by the incident.They were either drowned elsewhere and dumped in the river or were drowned in-situ.

"As we suspected that a crime had been committed, the matter was referred to the PSNI in Coleraine, hoping that they would investigate the incident and perhaps have the dogs examined to confirm the cause of death in view of the fact that there was other evidence found at the scene.

"It is my opinion that members of the public in the area may have been approached by someone trying to re-home these young dogs or they may have noticed a vehicle parked at the bridge recently in suspicious circumstances.

" I would appeal to your readers to come forward either to myself or the police.

"Any information given to me will be treated in the strictest confidence. "The council's enquiries are continuing in a bid to establish how the dogs ended up in the river."

The horrific find came just weeks after 18 dead lambs were dumped in nearby Loughgiel.

If you have any information regarding the apparent dumping of the puppies please contact police in Coleraine or Ballymoney on 0845 600 8000 or Ballymoney council.

chris.kilpatrick@jpress.

co.uk