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The Guardian World1 min read
Our dream family home is beside a dead animal dumping ground
TL;DR
Adam Dunlop and his family are facing distressing conditions near their dream home in Northern Ireland due to an illegal dumping ground for dead animals and general waste.
Key points
- Adam Dunlop built a family home in Northern Ireland
- Nearby fields became an illegal dumping ground
- Dumped items include dead animals and general waste
- Location is near Clogher
- Distressing conditions for the family
Warning: this article contains distressing images.
When Adam Dunlop and his young family built their dream family home in the Northern Irish countryside, they never imagined that the fields around their idyll would become an illegal dumping ground for dead animals.
In a ditch on the side of a secluded country road near their house lies the rotting carcass of a large cow, as well as a number of dead sheep that have been dumped on top of each other.
Dead farm animals in bags scatter the area, a few miles outside the village of Clogher.
And there is a significant amount of general waste that includes everything from burnt tyres to mattresses and old kitchen appliances.
"It's the smell that hits you first, then I saw the dead cow, and it made me sick to my stomach," Dunlop said.
He added: "I'm very concerned, because I've a six-month-old daughter and we can't even take her for a walk up the road now because of this issue.
"We wanted to live here because it's a lovely part of the countryside, and it's a shame on the people who are illegally dumping here, it's not on."
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said it was "concerned to learn of the cases reported" and that "an active investigation" was being undertaken.
In Northern Ireland, responsibility for the recovery and disposal of fallen livestock lies with the animal owner if that can be established or, if not, then the owner of the land on which the carcass is located.
On public land or highways, responsibility for disposal rests with the local council, if ownership cannot be determined.
Daera confirmed it has been unable to determine the current owner of the land.
A spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh Council said: "As the investigation is ongoing, no further comment can be made at this stage."
These are not the only animal carcasses that have been illegally dumped in rural parts of County Tyrone.
Earlier this month a seven-year-old boy was left distraught after he found a number of dead lambs in a bag while out litter-picking with his family near the village of Cappagh.
Since then, more animal dumping incidents have been reported to authorities in the Clogher Valley area.
Ryan Thompson is a neighbour of the Dunlops and lives close to the animal dumping ground.
He said: "It's affecting the environment and everyone that lives around here, and it's been raised with the local authorities, but the animals are still there.
"What I find particularly worrying is we don't know how or why these animals died, and the tags have been taken off so it's difficult to track down the owner."
Q&A
What is happening near Adam Dunlop's family home in Northern Ireland?
Adam Dunlop's family home is located next to an illegal dumping ground for dead animals and general waste.
What types of waste are being dumped near the Dunlop family home?
The area contains rotting carcasses of cows and sheep, as well as general waste like burnt tyres, mattresses, and old kitchen appliances.
Where is the illegal dumping ground located in relation to Clogher?
The illegal dumping ground is a few miles outside the village of Clogher, along a secluded country road.
What impact does the dumping ground have on the Dunlop family's living conditions?
The presence of the dumping ground significantly affects the Dunlop family's quality of life, as they deal with distressing sights and odors.
