TWO runaway dogs killed dozens of chickens and left four alpacas with serious injuries.

Derek Moore and his wife Hazel, who run the Hensting Alpacas sanctuary in Owslebury, are today devastated and counting the cost after the Labradors made their way on to their farm and attacked the animals yesterday.

Daily Echo: Tending to an injured alpaca

They ripped apart 76 chickens and left heavily pregnant alpacas with severe wounds.

Vets were on site desperately trying to save the alpacas, which are worth £3,000 each.

Mr Moore has been told that he will have to wait to see if the babies will survive.

Mr Moore told the Daily Echo that the incident could cost him about £20,000.

He added that the alpacas have been left traumatised by the incident and have been cowering together in fear.

Daily Echo:

He said: “I cried. I have taken six years to build this herd up.

“They have no claws, no teeth, and cannot defend themselves.

“These animals have been maimed. These dogs have done this before, I am sure of it.

“I can understand one chicken, but to kill 76.

“I am sickened to the stomach. How can you compensate the damage to those poor animals?

“These dog owners need to know they cannot keep dogs off a lead in the country.

“We have now got to tend to them every three hours and administer drugs, painkillers and antibiotics, for the next ten days and the vet doesn’t know about the babies inside – anything intrusive this late into the pregnancy could harm both.”

Daily Echo:

Mr and Mrs Moore and their team managed to capture the dogs responsible (above) and hand them over to police, who are investigating.