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An older image of the entrance to the sanctuary Dingle Sanctuary on Twitter

Gardaí investigate after seals' heads nailed to sanctuary gates in Dingle (pics)

Staff made the gruesome discovery this morning, and found the heads of two seals with messages painted in red paint.

GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING after a gruesome find at the gates of the Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary in Co. Kerry this morning.

At around 8.30am the heads of two seals were found nailed to plywood and then screwed onto the sign at the gate of the centre. Written on the signs were the messages “RIP CULL” and “RIP I AM HUNGRY”, written in red paint.

Ally McMillan from the sanctuary told TheJournal.ie that it would be inappropriate to speculate about the motives for what she called a “vicious horrible prank”. She said it is the first incident of its kind and the only other problems that staff from the centre have ever had is the “occasional taunt in the pub”.

McMillan said she was initially concerned for the safety of two seals currently resident in the sanctuary who are due to be released back into the wild in two weeks. However she said she has no idea where the bodies of the decapitated seals – a grey seal and a common seal –  may have come from. She said they appeared to have been freshly killed.

Garda have removed the makeshift signs for analysis and hope to be able to find a match for the paint used.

The Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary opened in 2010 and is staffed by a team of volunteers, many of them from abroad. The centre is regularly home to duck, geese and swans and also rescues orphaned, wounded and starving seal pups.

WARNING: These images are extremely graphic in nature and may upset some readers…

Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary
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  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

    WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IN NATURE AND MAY UPSET SOME READERS.
  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

  • Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary

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149 Comments
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    Mute John Aldridge
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:24 PM

    What unbelievable cruelty – man’s inhumanity!

    706
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    Mute Nivag Yeoh
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:37 PM

    Alright Aldo, you must be getting more than the occasional memory pang of Stuttgart 88 around now, eh?

    75
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    Mute Paula Greally
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:38 PM

    What an evil thing to do.

    416
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    Mute Paul Hogan
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:20 PM

    A completely unnecessary sick act of cruelty. On a lighter note, Nivag Yeoh, that was comical!

    40
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    Mute Stray Mutt
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:41 PM

    It just shows that there are deranged individuals amongst us.
    Very disturbing.

    174
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    Mute Mike Rrotch
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:54 PM

    Seals are the vermin of the sea and destroy fish stocks and spread disease, this act was wrong but culls are needed to keep things in balance

    29
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    Mute Adam O'Sullivan
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:00 PM

    @Mike, what fish stocks? Do you mean their natural food source? Or are fish exclusively for human consumption. And what are these diseases they spread?

    279
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    Mute John Johnson
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    Jun 8th 2012, 10:23 AM

    @Mike, I’m sure if seals could speak they’d tell you it’s humans that are the vermin

    28
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    Mute Donal Vaughan
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    Jun 9th 2012, 12:27 AM

    @Paul Hogan…….says Crocodile Dundee himself !!

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    Mute Patrick Moran
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:30 PM

    Fair play to the Journal for putting up the photos, I’m always one for taking the good as well as the bad view. But that is f*****g disgusting, whoever did that should be put in prison, the filthy animals. Makes me so angry.

    568
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    Mute Seanbeag
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:36 PM

    Animal cruelty laws are pretty non existent in this country.

    231
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    Mute Irelands Owen
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:29 PM

    Wow. Possibly one of the cruelest and most cowardly acts I have ever witnessed.

    515
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    Mute Barbara Derbyshire
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:28 PM

    Who in their right minds would do such a thing? Evil people.

    492
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    Mute Joe Mc Dermott
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:04 PM

    the same people that are red thumbing you…… disgusting

    234
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    Mute Monica Conroy
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:31 PM

    Whoever did this needs to get professional help big time, a very disturbed mind !

    342
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    Mute Rodger O Waters
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:44 PM

    Gone beyond help,

    187
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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:07 PM

    Padraic
    A lot of us on here may disagree with Mr.Higgins and his capers but that remark is out of order!

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:16 PM

    Lads you should all know by now I’m in South Dublin, wouldn’t be seen near that place, it couldn’t be me :P

    24
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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:35 PM

    God, this kind of thing makes me so angry. I understand people rely on fishing to make a living but the idea that seals which are a natural predator of fish, and that only eat what they need are more of a problem than overfishing and by catch and other fisheries related issues is ridiculous.
    The people in that sanctuary give their time freely to try and do a bit of good for the animals and this is how they’re treated. Irish people can be so incredibly thick and ignorant sometimes it makes me ashamed. It really does.
    The worst part of it is that even if they find who did it they’ll probably get off with a slap on the wrist or a half arsed fine.

    315
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    Mute Sarah Power
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:06 PM

    Well said, couple of months ago seals were found on tramore beach in Waterford after being shot. The ignorance of some people is truly shocking.

    116
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    Mute Joan Ruud Donnellan-Wijnen
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:38 PM

    Elmo.. I couldn’t agree with you more.. An excellent comment

    41
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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:31 PM

    Unbelievably sick… I hope those responsible are found and locked up for a very long time… what is their thinking?

    273
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    Mute Rebecca Rigney
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:05 PM

    It’s a good flogging they want, not to sit in a warm prison for a few months…

    56
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    Mute Padraic Quinn
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:12 PM

    Just joking lads.I disagree with 80% of what Higgins says too but I have no doubt he is not capable of the likes of that.peace David

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    Mute Fay Fitzgerald
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    Jun 8th 2012, 1:17 AM

    daniel..they wont be locked!..they will get a slap on the wrist..god annoys me so!!..that people are so cruel to animals!..

    13
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    Mute Ann Reddin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:32 PM

    Theres some very sick weirdos out there. Best find the culprit(s) quick as animal cruelty is often a sign of underlying peronality disorders.

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    Mute Itchy mcscratch
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:36 PM

    Practicing to become Luka magnotto. Poor seals

    86
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    Mute Richard Keogh
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:49 PM

    Agreed Itchy, anyone capable of doing that to animals is just as likely capable of doing it to a human. Unfortunately animal welfare laws in Ireland are so outdated and weak it’s unlikely they will even get a prison term if caught. However the psychopath(s) who did it should be kept under close watch by authorities from the moment they are caught onwards.

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    Mute 007
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:35 PM

    Absolutely disgusting. Defenceless animals tortured. How sick can some people be to do this?

    199
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    Mute Eoin Ó Nialláin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:39 PM

    The full weight of the law needs to be felt by those responsible for this hideous and twisted act. If anyone out there has any information what so ever I urge you to go to the Gardaí as soon as possible. This is a country famed for its natural beauty and heritage. As well as being popular for its scenery it is equally famed for the array of beautiful creatures found on land and off our coasts. Acts like this cannot be tolerated in any way shape or form. Disgusting does not even begin to describe it.

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    Mute Nivag Yeoh
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:39 PM

    It takes a particularly nasty individual to do something like this. Would love it if the cops track him/her down.

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    Mute Strongbow62
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:41 PM

    As the Ma would say ” I think there’s a ” want” in these people, ie there’s something wrong with them. Even if these seals were washed up dead you’d have to be totally warped to mutilate them and inflict that scene on the public. Perverts should be pilloried.

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    Mute Yvonne Byrne
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:40 PM

    Anyone capable of this kind of depravity is capable of anything! We share this planet with creatures who do not deserve to be refered to as humans. Even animals only kill when instinct tells them they have to. It seems only humans can mutilate and kill for fun or as a prank. Shame on those responsible.

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    Mute Michael Sullivan
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:41 PM

    Even if they are caught, nothing will be done to them.
    Words fail me on this one.

    106
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    Mute Susie Chester
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:42 PM

    What a dispicable act of Cruelty, not only to these poor animals but to the people who found them. The perpetrators should be caught asap and medically assessed . Thank you to the Journal for showing these pics as gruesome as they are, it needs to be put out there that there are evil people about. Shocking ! I feel quite upset that a ”human being/s” carried out these acts of inhumanity… Shame on them. There is something really sick with the mind of an individual who did this .

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 8th 2012, 12:08 PM

    lol dont you have a fur coat? :D

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    Mute Susie Chester
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    Jun 8th 2012, 3:47 PM

    No Peter I don’t have a fur coat . why would you say that ?

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    Mute Ann-Marie Wallis
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:09 PM

    Unauthorized culls happen quite often down there…d’yis remember the incident where loads of seals were found with slit throats on the Blaskets?

    There is a special place in hell for these sick b*stards….

    91
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    Mute Amie McLaughlin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:44 PM

    That’s disgusting. How sick does anyone need to be to do something so evil! Poor animals!

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:46 PM

    Whoever did this needs to be found and found quickly. Seriously sick individual(s) and even more disturbing given the premeditation obviously involved.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:44 PM

    That is disgusting. Hopefully those responsible will be caught and dealt with appropriately. Though I’m not sure there is a sufficient sanction under the law for this act of despicable cruelty.

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    Mute Ornagh Ferris
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:48 PM

    So sad, why would anyone want to do this, what point are they trying to make? Such beautiful animals. I can’t believe something like this has happened in Kerry, such a beautiful place!!

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:58 PM

    I assume it’s to do with the fishing industry wanting to cull the seals because they believe it’s the seals fault that fish stocks aren’t what they used to be. There have been a few incidents of seals being found dead on beaches with gun shot wounds and the likes. The fact that they aimed it at a place that’s purpose is to keep seals alive and maintain their populations would lead you to believe that someone thinks they’re as big a problem as the seals themselves.

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    Mute Seanbeag
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:38 PM

    Leads me to believe that they are morons.

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:57 PM

    Seals consume some 25-50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis, while cormorants devour some 15-18 tonnes, meaning that, at the current rate, it is impossible for fish stocks to replenish.

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    Mute Conor White
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:10 PM

    Beautiful place just shame about the peoples backward attitude down there!! This happens all the time down there and in knowing the Gardai there and their lack of enthusiasm in regards to anything in that town, there is 99.9% chance the culprits will never be found or even looked for!!

    53
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    Mute Jack D'Messiah
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:18 PM

    @ dave

    I’ll think you’ll find that
    1. global overfishing espically by the likes of Japan and Spain
    2. poorly managed fish-stocks and
    3. overreliance on cod and a select few other species in national shops
    have been doing far more damage than other creatures in the eco-system.

    Proper management of our fishing industry, stricter enforcement of national rules to foreign shipping and a diversification of national tastes would be far better in the long term than taking your frustrations out on innocent animals like a spoilt brat throwing his toys out of the pram.

    Studies are showing that if we dont cop on immediately, global fish stocks could be almost non-existant by 2050-2070… and I don’t think an massive explosion of the seal population is responsible for that, do you?

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    Mute Irelands Owen
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:56 PM

    @Peter-So a seal can eat 50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis. That means he would weigh 10 times the weight of an elephant after one day. Never realised seals ate that many fish. Wow!

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    Mute Ciaran O'Connell
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    Jun 8th 2012, 8:41 AM

    @Peter…jaysus those seals and cormorants must be massive altogether… maybe they are new species of genetically enhanced seals and cormorants caused by all the pollution being pumped into the seas around Ireland…..

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    Mute Husky McTusky
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:11 PM

    This type of thing happens all the time down in Kerry. No one was ever charged for this:

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1105/seals.html

    They Gardai will let them away with it down there. As they always do.

    64
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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:58 PM

    I don’t think they would, but they can’t prove who is responsible when the fishing community closes ranks and refuses to pass on information. The culprits must be known locally…

    38
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    Mute Dermot D
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:56 PM

    I really hope whoever did this is caught. Clearly anyone who gets a kick out of this sort of sick act poses a threat to just to animals but to people too. The law needs to be harsh when it comes to animal cruelty.

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlainn
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:55 PM

    Very sick people to do this..! Hope they are caught and locked up!

    59
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    Mute Damien Dineen
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    Jun 7th 2012, 3:56 PM

    I am truly sickened!!

    53
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    Mute Darren
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:01 PM

    That is truly sickening. I hope whoever did this get caught and their head put on a plank of wood. SOme sick people in this world who obviously need help.

    52
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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:39 PM

    sick sick bastards. i wouldn’t mind 10mins with them.Inhumane sick disgusting horrible. F*****g bastards

    49
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    Mute Gillian Doyle
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:16 PM

    How amazingly tragic is that? I’m not even going to try to understand the type of person that has the ability to inflict such cruelty to any living creature. Until the law is amended so the courts can hand down real sentence to match the severity of the crimes there is very little to deter these type of people from getting their kicks. I detest ALL types of cruelty but against children or animals is especially sickening, I wouldn’t be a violent person but……

    49
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    Mute Mark L'ingarde
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:23 PM

    The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is offering a reward of 2000 Euros for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing two seals and nailing their decapitated heads to the Dingle Seal and Wildlife Sanctuary in Ireland. Please report any information to the Guarda

    48
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    Mute Sarah Doran
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:11 PM

    If seals consume fish to the point that fish stocks can’t replenish, shouldn’t fish stocks have been depleted long ago? Seals existed long before trawlers came along but the stocks were still there, so from my point of view the problem is overfishing.

    As for my own thoughts on this act of cruelty, it is utterly horrific and there is absolutely no justification for it.
    The people who did this clearly have no respect for the humane treatment of all animals.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:40 PM

    I believe that people who display wanton cruelty towards animals would treat their fellow humans similarly if they thought they’d get away with it.

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    Mute Michael McLoughlin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:10 PM

    Dingle, the same town which erected a monument to Charlie Haughey. Something not right about that place

    42
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    Mute Frank Diamond
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:15 PM

    whoever done this didnt do the fishermen any favours

    41
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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:19 PM

    this is true stupid act, but now thanks to this seals will get vip protection over any other fish

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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:27 PM

    Peter, seals aren’t fish.

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:41 PM

    well i mean it in terms of marine life

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    Mute Gillian Corcoran
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:48 PM

    Christ u would want to be pretty messed up to do something do evil and unnecessarily cruel. Why ……?

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    Mute Catherine Hayward
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:46 PM

    This makes me want to cry, how barbaric so cruel so heartless, Don’t think I could trust myself not to do time for these b…….. if I came face to face with them.

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    Mute Norma Kealy
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:21 PM

    the staff working there must be absolutely devastated. really feel for them.

    32
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    Mute Ger Craig
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:52 PM

    What an absolute horrible pointless act of cruelty, there really are some evil people out there.

    31
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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:22 PM

    For marine life, though, this country is awesome.

    I’ve seen the seals at Bulloch and Howth, occasional dolphins from the Dart and even a huge group (Shoal? Pod? School? Gang?) of dolphins in the North up near Giant’s Causeway. Still haven’t spotted a shark or whale yet.

    Bad boda on the imbeciles who did this.

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    Mute Sarah Power
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    Jun 8th 2012, 4:56 AM

    Killer whales of the coast of donegal earlier this week, video is lovely.

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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 8th 2012, 6:02 AM

    Video schmideo.

    I was to see them.

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    Mute Damocles
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    Jun 8th 2012, 6:02 AM

    want, even

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    Mute Michael J Hartnett
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:17 PM

    What have members of the fishing industry have to say about this. Is it necessary to kill seals to protect fish stocks. The problem now is whoever done this has had the exact effect they wanted media exposure.

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    Mute Seanbeag
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:39 PM

    Even if it is necessary to kill seals in the wild it is in no way related to this incident.

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    Mute Dani L
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:44 PM

    This is absolutely a vile act and who ever done this should be jailed. I hope that the staff at the sanctuary are okay as i imagine they are all in shock, especially the person who made the discovery. I have never seen or heard of anything so inhumane as this. I’m absolutely shocked that someone could bring themselves to this.

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    Mute David Keogh
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:11 PM

    The animals that did this should have their heads cut off … An eye for an eye. absolute savages

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    Mute Setrakian
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:02 PM

    That should really do a lot of damage to Dingle’s tourist efforts. What kind of sick people would do this. Bastards.

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    Mute Paul
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:19 PM

    Disgusting. I hate people.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:21 PM

    Sickening!

    26
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    Mute Aarum
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:07 PM

    Idiots they have done more harm than they know to their cause to have seals culled, that is disgusting

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    Mute Caoimhe Cronin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:22 PM

    This is horrific. If this was an act by local fishermen, they should be looking at the wider picture and fighting the fight against the current quota system imposed by the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The idea of catch and throwing back over board of dead, perfectly consumable fish is an absolute disgrace for modern day society. Fish stocks would not be so low if over fishing wasn’t almost encouraged, in , my eyes, by EU policy. All of a fisherman’s catch, no matter how many different fish species are caught, should be brought back to land and sold for consumption.
    Honestly, these people took the easy way out (and I mean it in the bigger picture, as I think that this act of cruelty is appalling). They are cowards and should be speaking out if they want policies changed or anything to be done to help ever decreasing fish stocks. This problem is the maker of MAN!!!

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    Mute mart_n
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    Jun 7th 2012, 6:11 PM

    If they are caught a clear message needs to be sent out to others that may contemplate carrying out similar acts. I hope they have the full force of the law applied to them and that they spend a considerable amount of time behind bars.

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    Mute Hugh O'Brien
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:54 PM

    Vile morons

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    Mute Terri Sammon Palmer
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:34 PM

    this is horrific I am truly shocked

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    Mute Eamon McGlade
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:45 PM

    Beyond belief that somebody could do this. Serious jail time required for all involved. I pity the decent people that have to raise kids near the psychos responsible for this. God knows what else their narrow minds are capable of.

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    Mute Tara Tevlin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:54 PM

    Just barbaric be ashamed to call yourself a human being

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    Mute Niall Callery
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:26 PM

    What savagery. I agree with all the sentiment and am horrified that cruelty like this could exist. I also think that Craig’s point is valid The group that could carry out such an act need to be confronted and not just condemned however difficult it may be.

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:53 PM

    the only way to save our fish stocks in this country is an organised cull of these animals, not by crucifixion but in a humane way. there are far too many of them some are even reaching fish spawning grounds in lakes and rivers 30km plus up stream.

    Seals consume some 25-50 tonnes of fish on a daily basis, while cormorants devour some 15-18 tonnes, meaning that, at the current rate, it is impossible for fish stocks to replenish.

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:05 PM

    @Peter
    Where do you get your figures? And do you really think that cormorants and seals are more of a problem than unsustainable overfishing for many years?

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    Mute Jim
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:07 PM

    Given that seals, cormorants and other birds that eat fish have been around for millenia and seem to have been able to survive I find it hard to believe your logic here. If fish stocks were unable to survive because of natural reasons then the populations of their predators would also collapse because ultimately nature is self correcting.

    Its only in the last fifity years that fish stocks have come under such serious pressure and that happens to coincide with the vast increase of commerical fishing. This is why some species have been driven towards extinction. But it’s probably just easier to blame the seals.

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    Mute Joe Mc Dermott
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:10 PM

    thats rubbish Peter,,, get our fishing rites back from Europe and our fishermen would be happy

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    Mute Padraic Quinn
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:12 PM

    The biggest problem for the Irish fishing industry is the decision to give it away in the early 70′s .no seals were involved as far as I know when that was signed away

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:13 PM

    my figures come from Scandinavian figures brought out last year

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:15 PM

    Seals are damaging cod stocks by spreading the “cod worm” also

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:16 PM
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    Mute Sarah Doran
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:19 PM

    Peter can I see a link to the statistics released by the Scandinavian report please?

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:23 PM
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    Mute Sarah Doran
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:30 PM

    Does that not apply to seals in that area though? Is the study not based on Scandinavia and the North Atlantic?

    Don’t get me wrong, I respect the fact that you have actually based your opinion on solid fact but I don’t believe you can apply research that wasn’t carried out in this particular location. I’m no expert but natural phenomena etc will differ from location to location.

    I’ll acknowledge that seals can swim wherever they want but I just don’t know how you could apply statistics from the far north Atlantic to local waters here, though I can see how you could hypothesize.

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:39 PM

    your right Sarah about that, the irish fisheries bord could do with doing a real survey of this perhaps looking into imitating canadian and norwiegein practices once our research into the field is done

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    Mute Daithi De Faoite
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:40 PM

    And tell me Peter…how many tonnes of fish do humans eat per year?? Maybe seals should should go eat beef/chicken or pork instead or may it is a cull of a few sick individuals that we need? There are ways to go about things and if this is a protest by fishermen over fish stocks…I think they need to take a long hard look at the situation and see what has really caused the shortage in fish stocks!

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    Mute Tigerisinthezoo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:47 PM

    This has been simmering for a while. There is a lot of anger among fishermen re stocks being stretched by too many seals. A fairly sick thing to do though. I thought you wouldnt see that in Ireland. A lot of fishermen had been complaining that nets being left out were being targeted by seals who had learnt that there was an easy meal in the nets. Many catches in nets were being wiped out by seals.

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 4:56 PM

    yeah thats true ive seen seals come up rivers as far in as carlow! they are getting in to fish spawning grounds!
    fish are far more inportant to this country than seals are, seals can survive in polluted water where as fish cant

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:00 PM

    So it doesn’t have anything to do with overfishing?

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:02 PM

    @Peter,
    What does this have to do with pollution?

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    Mute Peter
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:11 PM

    we should not focus on protecting this animal illogically while not looking at others if you protect an unindangered predator its obvious that fish stocks will fall.. you have to look at the bigger picture and not just the plight of one animal, pigs are slaughtered in the same method basically yet the main stream environmentalists (paul marcartny ect )

    listen Jacques Cousteau was for controlled seal culls, and i belive that we could do with a seal quota like in Norway, Canada, and many other marine countries.. I would bring in revenues

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:50 PM

    Peter, the seals are naturally occurring, just like the fish. The unnatural thing in this picture is the fishing industry. It’s not like we’re stone age hunter gatherers fishing with spears and just taking enough to feed our families. The fishing industry is a big money business and that is what the people at the top care about. The impact of trawler fishing, dredging, over fishing, by-catch etc. etc. are all far more harmful to the fish stocks than seals.
    Granted it is sometimes necessary to look at controlled culls to keep animal populations in check for their own good or for the good of other animal populations, but this is not the case in Dingle. And even if it was it does not excuse this kind of barbaric behaviour.

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    Mute frankfaldoisamoron
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:15 PM

    Damn those seals for doing what comes naturally to them in their natural environment

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    Mute Liz Gallagher
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:43 PM

    yeah, I mean the cheek of those damn seals, eating fish!! how dare they, let’s kill ‘em all every one! imagine they see nets filled with fish and they actually EAT the fish, surely they should know better! pity they are not as intelligent as us superior humans! oh yeah, they probably are and even more so! ignorant, cowardly and dangerous people did this, I for one would not like them living anywhere near me or my family.

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:54 PM

    Also Peter, Cod do not spawn in rivers, so seals swimming up stream to Carlow are unlikely to have an impact on their spawning grounds. Fish such as salmon and trout swim right up stream to the very shallow tributary streams to spawn, places where seals could not swim to, so again, it’s unlikely them swimming to Carlow would have any impact on these spawning grounds.

    As for your 25-30 tonnes of fish A DAY. A hippo weighs on average between 1.5 and 3 tonnes, are you saying a single seal will eat 10 adult hippos worth of fish in a single day? More like between 10-20 POUNDS of fish a day. A fully grown adult cod would weigh about between 100-200lbs.

    Cod stocks are falling due mainly to overfishing, and also due to a decline in their own prey. Seals will and do eat the already dead cod, which fishermen would just throw back. Seals are more likely to eat small fish anyway such as herring, which are not as commercially viable as cod.
    Seals excreting what they’ve eaten encourages the growth of plankton and supports the food base for fish such as cod. Also, the historical peak abundance of seals coincided with the historical peak abundance of cod stock.
    Basically, the fish stocks and other marine mammal numbers have evolved over centuries to coexist in the best possible way. The problem now is interference from man and the idea that our need to make money off the natural environment is more important than the natural balance that’s existed for far longer than we’ve been around.

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    Mute Liz Gallagher
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:10 PM

    well said Elmo!!

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 11:39 PM

    Thank you Liz.

    The one thing that annoys me almost as much as these acts themselves is people spouting rubbish in defence of it. There is no proof that culling seals would increase the populations of fish by any massive level, and even if it did what would be the point? So someone could come along with a net and take them out themselves.

    I have no problem having a reasonable discussion with someone who knows what they’re talking about but just making up facts and repeating them to make your point is no kind of argument. Even if it was there is no way to defend this kind of behaviour, it’s barbaric and that’s all there is to it.

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    Mute Sarah Power
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    Jun 8th 2012, 4:51 AM

    Extremely well said Elmo. I was horrified by this crime and unfortunately don’t have the knowledge on this subject to argue with these people trying to justify it. Thank you :-)

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    Mute Aranthos Faroth
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:30 PM

    I actually wouldn’t have a problem cracking the skulls of the ones who did this.

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    Mute Craig Walters
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:04 PM

    People do desperate things when their livelihoods and way of life are threatened such as killing seals and poisoning birds of prey. This is as much a cry for help as it is an act of barbarism

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:06 PM

    It sounds like you’re trying to excuse the inexcusable…

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    Mute mattoid
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:10 PM

    Whilst I can see how seals may be competing with fishermen for stocks which are already severely limited due to many years of overfishing, the ‘threatening my livelihood’ argument carries absolutely no weight whatsoever when it comes to poisoning Eagles.

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    Mute Jim
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    Jun 7th 2012, 5:16 PM

    That’s such a poor excuse and its doesn’t stand up. If these people went out and killed the seals that would be one thing. It would still be horrible but perhaps understandable if they felt their living was threatened.

    However to deliberately target the seal sanctuary with such an act takes the act to a whole new disgusting level and its is completely inexcusable.

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    Mute Sue Anthony
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    Jun 10th 2012, 4:50 PM

    Peter the Candadian government use the taxes of the canadian people to carry out the killing of seal pups, its social welfare for out of work fishermen and this has nearly died out since the EU banned the import or use of seal pelts. When Canada approached China to try to open up a market the Chinese sent them packing saying that killing baby seals was the most horrendouse act and that they didnt want to be associated with it in any way.

    Seals are not fish they are mammals.

    Seals do bring in revenue by bringing tourists to see our ocean life and thankfully clean oceans.

    These killings were a criminal act by lawless individuals.

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    Mute Dave Patrick
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:34 PM

    sick,sick barstards! hopefully the sea shepherd organization will find out who did this to these gentle creatures!
    Me I would give the perpetrators a taste of the same inhumane treatment they so cruelly imparted on these seals!
    If anyone has any information or knows who did this,keep your conscience clear and inform the Gardai!

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    Mute bebi bencomo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:36 PM

    hijos de la gran puta. Enfermos mentales a la cárcel de por vida.

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    Mute Kevin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 10:42 PM

    Whoever did this poses a clear and present danger to society at large. They are clearly deranged individuals with serious mental health issues.

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    Mute Shane Cafferty
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:43 PM

    Get the cowardly bastards and have them hung and quartered!

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    Mute Brian O' Leary
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    Jun 7th 2012, 10:34 PM

    @mike, fisherman need to realise that their the reason for the low fish stocks, not the seals. Whoever did this should be put in prison, end of.

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    Mute Ella Munday
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    Jun 7th 2012, 7:39 PM

    Disgusting

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    Mute Katie Clavin
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:01 PM

    That is so cruel they should go to jail for being cruel to animals that’s just what I think

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    Mute Irish Eamonn
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    Jun 8th 2012, 4:22 AM

    A shocking act of barbarism. It’s not the seals that are responsible for the collapse in fishing stocks but the EU, which has cost Ireland €200 billion in fishing rights since 1972.

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    Mute Julian King
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:40 PM

    Sick Bastards, what I’ve give to get my hands on them.

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    Mute D T
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:20 PM

    does fungie the dingle dolphin now stand in danger, and does the fish farm have their place on 24 hour protection, hard to look at those pictures, pure cruelty.

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    Mute cavanbythesea
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    Jun 8th 2012, 10:10 AM

    Wouldn’t call the people who did ‘sick’ or ‘mentally ill’ …. Just giving mental illness a bad name… Evil bad bastards …

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    Mute Niall Howard
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:27 PM

    There are some sick people out there.

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    Mute Marie Mullett
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    Jun 7th 2012, 9:22 PM

    Absolutely appalling act of cruelty & violence. The acts of cowards, how brave does someone need to be to slaughter & torture a defenceless animal. 15 years in jail would not be enough.

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    Mute John Fitzgerald
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    Jun 8th 2012, 12:14 AM

    This was an act of animal cruelty, pure and simple. Even under our antiquated anti-cruelty laws this was an illegal act and the people responsible would be prosecuted if caught. Unfortunately, many people still protect such thugs by their silence, not wishing to be “informers”. We need to accept that animal cruelty, be it badger baoting, throwing cats into Halloween fires, or hare coursing should be unnacceptable in a civilised society.

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 7th 2012, 11:33 PM

    Does anybody actually know for sure what the animal cruelty laws are in Ireland, or a handy enough way to find out ?

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    Mute John Fitzgerald
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    Jun 8th 2012, 12:21 AM

    Elmo, the 1911 Protection of Animals Acts still applies. You can access info on it via a Search of Irish government websites. A new animal welfare Bill is being debated in the Oireachtas right now. The government has promised this new law will update animal protection, though it’s got off to a bad start with a pledge from the Fine Gael party that hare coursing and fox hunting will not be banned under the legislation. Anyone who feels strongly about animal cruelty (whether involving seals or any other animal) needs to make his/her views known to his/her local TD. Otherwise, certain forms of animal cruelty that command the backing of wealthy or influential folk will again escape prohibition.

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    Mute Elmo
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    Jun 8th 2012, 11:35 AM

    Thank you John, I’ll be looking into it.

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    Mute Finola Mulcahy
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    Jun 11th 2012, 11:45 AM
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    Mute Killian Walsh
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    Jun 8th 2012, 8:57 AM

    Actually, while it is obviously a horrible thing to do, this act has probably done a lot to raise support for the seal sanctuary and conservation in general.
    I’d imagine it was done by someone from the local fishing industry who feels that seals are competition for fish. I would also imagine that many more seals are killed or wounded by people like that out at sea that and their bodies never found.
    Making a spectacle of these two animals is more likely to make them into martyrs than anything else.

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    Mute Deirdre O Keeffe
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:03 PM

    I never realised Dingle had a Seal and Wildlife sanctuary. Free advertising!

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    Mute frankfaldoisamoron
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:18 PM

    Yeah they probably planned the whole thing :-O

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    Mute Kylie Carter
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    Jun 8th 2012, 9:58 AM

    this is cruel beyond belief !!!! while i understand the fishermen want to make a living.(as do we all).. animals where around long before us.. so we are taking their natural supply of food. i agree animals need to be culled to keep the populations down, but this should be done humainly, just like other species… just because we are the top of a food chain dont mean we can go round doing things like this.. its just plain sick !!!

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    Mute Jodie Kelly Ahern
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    Jun 9th 2012, 2:22 AM

    Bring the bastards up to Limerick when they’re found, we’d only love to show them exactly what we think of them, sick, thick, cruel f**kers!!!!

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    Mute D T
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    Jun 7th 2012, 8:28 PM

    sorry, when i said fish farm,
    i meant to say seal sanctuary, the red paint, is it spray or brushed on, and is it a specialized paint,

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    Mute Marian O'Flaherty
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    Jun 7th 2012, 11:17 PM
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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Jun 8th 2012, 1:18 AM

    The Japanese over-fish and blame dolphins. The Russians over-fish (in the Bering Sea) and blame the Chinese.
    Everybody blames somebody for what they can’t own up to themselves–there’s too much money to be made from big hauls of fish. The bigger the haul, the more money they make. So the seals get blamed, like the home-buyers get blamed for the bubble and subsequent economic collapse. Greed, baby. They’re gonna fish till the last fish in the ocean is gone. They should get a pretty penny for the last fish in the ocean. Wonder if it’ll be the Chinese, the Japanese, the Russians, the Americans, or the Icelanders who catch it…

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    Mute Fay Fitzgerald
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    Jun 8th 2012, 1:25 AM

    New laws need to be brought in to protect wildlife and all type animals!.. god the people who have done this are “SICK”!!!..

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    Mute Sue Anthony
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    Jun 10th 2012, 3:56 PM

    Sea Shepherd Ireland have offered a €2k reward for information that leads to the conviction of these criminals, along with NARA’s up to €5k offer this brings the reward pot to €7k. Please provide garda and the Dingle Wildlife & Seal Sanctuary with all information regarding this crime.

    This crime has now been reported around the world, will Dingle be internationally known as the scene of this crime or as the home of fungie ?

    To contact Sea Shepherd please email ireland@seashepherd.org or go to our web page http://www.seashepherd.org and look for the wildlife crimes page where you can report what you know confidentially.

    The Seals need someone to stand up and be counted, to match the names that have already been given to evidential facts for the gards to add this to forensic evidance, ensuring that this type of crime stops in Kerry.

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    Mute William Walsh
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    Jun 8th 2012, 3:43 PM

    Any updates on this?

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    Mute Donal Vaughan
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    Jun 9th 2012, 12:25 AM

    Tiz true for Paidi O Se….. The worst type of Fxxxing animals….. and he didn’t mean the seals….

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