WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

A HEARTBREAKING image shows a calf being put down after he ate a bag of poo chucked away by a lazy dog owner.

The photograph shows Calfie lying down in hay while a syring, containing a lethal injection, is just inches away.

The calf mysteriously fell ill at Red Oak Farm in Brackley, Northamptonshire.

Vets were baffled by the sudden illness but owner George Coles became suspicious after finding half-eaten bags of discarded dog poo around the farm.

A post mortem on Calfie found a half eaten, black plastic bag which had blocked his stomach.

George has shared the images on Facebook in a bid to shame dog owners into disposing of poo bags responsibly.

Writing on his Facebook page last week, George said: “After two long weeks of nursing this poor little fellow we have had to take the horrible step of having him put down and unfortunately upon postmortem our suspicions were confirmed.

“Calfie, as he had been named, is the first casualty of the year to our good friends the irresponsible dog owner. Trust me that is very polite the way I am feeling.”

He added: “Just over two weeks ago Calfie was just like every other calf enjoying life and in very good condition, he then overnight went downhill very quickly for no obvious reason.

“After two vet visits and confusion all round we walked his field again and look what was found, two full poo bags and one that had been partially eaten.

“Today we then found a plastic bag inside his rumen [stomach].

“Now again whilst most dog owners that we see are very responsible we do seen to still have our fair share of what can only be described as arrogant, ignorant idiots (again that is being polite).

“We do know some of these and even have our suspicions as to who was kind enough to leave said items in the field whilst our running!

He added: “Whilst we encourage people to clear up after their dog, leaving poo in bags either tied to fences or thrown in the bottom of hedges is completely unacceptable.

“As I said earlier this is the first casualty of the year, every year we also have problems with the same idiotic dog owners that think it is fine to let their dogs run off the lead whilst in the fields with cattle, this then causes some to abort (normally a couple every year).

“The law does say that they do not have to be on a lead but it also states that they have to be under close control, this does not mean the other side of the field.

“The law also says that we can shoot any dog that is deemed to be worrying livestock. Enough is enough.”

George also shared an adorable of Calfie before his death – alongside images of two bags of faeces he found while looking around his farm.

The post has had over 10,000 shares and hundreds of comments from furious animal lovers.

Julie Sillence wrote: “Poor Calfie. How absolutely idiotic are people. It’s nature, and your property, and there is no right or reason to be littering and disregarding livestock safety in this way.. Appalling.”

Neale Biscoe said: “If you go to the trouble of picking up your dogs poo and putting it into a bag – take it home or wait until you can responsibly bin it – it’s not rocket science, and carrying it isn’t going to break your arm.”

Clarrissa Wilson wrote: “This is utterly disgraceful. I’m a dog owner and I’m always responsible in disposing poo. It angers me greatly when I see bags hung from fences trees left on the way side.

“There is no excuse for it. That poor poor calf. It’s common sense if there’s no bin double bag it and take it with you. I’m so sorry to hear this. Poor little mite.”

And Jackie Pye said: “I am a responsible dog owner. It makes me so mad and I am so sorry for your loss.

“I was walking poppy in a field the other day, on her lead, and I came across two bagged bags of poo in addition to the usual litter down the lane. Really?! Don’t drop your rubbish in our beautiful countryside.”

A spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union today said: “Farmers welcome walkers to their farms, especially those who behave responsibly, follow the Countryside Code and use their common sense.

“However Mr Cole’s issue is all too frequently experienced by our livestock farmers: dogs that are not kept on leads, poo that is not picked up and gates that are left open.

“What is completely mystifying is that someone has bothered to buy a poo bag, bothered to pick up their dog’s ‘leavings’ and then on purpose left it in the middle of the field.

“I cannot see any reason for these actions.

“It seems that some dog walkers are embarrassed to carry their poo bags home with them, but to leave them littering the countryside is downright irresponsible and in this case has caused the farmer to have to put down a valuable animal.

“Our message is simple, bag it and bin it!”