ACTION is to be taken following the deaths of six goats that choked after eating discarded dog poo bags.

A previously reported, Su and John Illsley from Fancy's Family Farm on Portland were shocked to find several of their goats dead, with dog poo bags hanging out of their mouths.

The goats were put out in enclosures on Dorset Council land around Old Hill under a grazing licence granted to the farm. The remaining goats have since been taken back to the farm after the Illsleys feared more deaths would follow.

The community campaign to reduce litter, Litter Free Dorset, has said this is another example of why people need to dispose of their waste properly.

Following the deaths of the goats, a clean-up operation has been organised by Dorset Council and the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP).

The vegetation in the area will be cut back by a team from DWP, which will give them the opportunity to litter pick and clear any waste they find.

Cllr Tony Alford, portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services at Dorset Council, said: “We were saddened to hear what happened to Su and John’s goats and share their confusion as to why some dog owners go to the effort to bag their dog waste, but not dispose of the bags responsibly.

"Dog waste should be taken home and put in a household rubbish bin. It can also be placed in any public litter bin, so there are no excuses for leaving it behind.”

Su Illsley said: "We have had a total of six die now they all had the same symptoms. Hopefully the rest of them are ok, they are all in now and they all seem happy and healthy.

"The council owns the land but it's not their fault or any organisation's fault. It's dog owners who can't be bothered to put the poo bags in the bin or take them home with them."

Sophie Colley, Project Officer for Litter Free Dorset, added: “This is yet another example of why people need to dispose of their waste properly. Litter is a real problem for wildlife in the UK, with thousands of animals injured or killed by litter every year. While we have a responsibility to clear up after ourselves, we also owe it to our countryside to ensure we protect our wildlife by disposing of our waste correctly. Always take your litter home, or place it in a litter bin.”