Three orphaned fox cubs have been found dead by a golfer at a Co Down course with gun shot injuries.
The clubs, estimated to be a few months old are believed to have been orphaned recently and an animal rescue group and greenkeepers at Clandeboye Golf Club were informed about the gruesome discovery.
On Saturday morning, May 6, a golfer found the three cubs lying dead with gunshot wounds near their necks. He gathered them together at the first hole and placed his towel over them.
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A spokesperson for Lost and Found Pets North Down Rescue and Rehoming said: "We were made aware of three fox cubs on land leading to Clandeboye Golf Club . The greenkeepers checked for us but were unable to locate them.
"When we were first informed we thought it likely they were new born cubs and their mum may have been knocked down or trapped and the babies haven't survived.
"However, a lady who was walking her dog and contacted us to say she had came across the three cubs and we estimated these babies to be a few months old. We made contact with the clubhouse and staff called me back to say a wildlife official was coming to look at them.
"But on Saturday the fox cubs were found together, all of them dead. We have now had it confirmed that they sustained injuries from a high velocity air rifle with a single fatal shot near the neck of each of the cubs.
"They were found around 7am on Saturday in the middle of the fairway at the first hole lying two to three metres apart. A golfer found them and placed them together and put his towel over him.
"No one has the right to murder three babies like this. Our posts about the fox cubs are about raising awareness of the monsters among us and trying to gather relevant information on who carried out this barbaric act. If anyone has any information on who carried out this barbaric act please PM us in confidence or call us on 07753516515."
The USPCA and Ulster Wildlife have been notified.
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