An Angus farmer has revealed her heartbreak at being forced to cull 100 hens and ducks due to an outbreak of bird flu.
Louise Nicoll, owner of Newton Farm Holidays, had to act after the disease was found among hens on Wednesday.
The farm, near Forfar, was forced to close due to the outbreak but it has now been deemed safe by authorities.
A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone has been placed around it since the outbreak.
‘They were our pets’
Louise told The Courier: “It’s a horrible disease and the effects just wiped them out.
“The ducks didn’t have any symptoms but legislation said that they needed to be culled too.
“The animals on this farm are for people to see and learn about how it all works.
“The personal element to all of this has made it so hard for me to handle.
“They were our pets, it’s made it extra difficult.
‘All you can do is hope’
“It’s especially bad thing to happen at this time of year and I’m dreading the quietness.”
Louise had to kill 11 hens and 89 ducks as a result of the disease but she hopes to be able to reopen the farm to visitors soon.
She added: “We are able to reopen most of the farm now, but we aren’t going to.
“We need some time to come to terms with what’s happened.
“It’s a random disease and all it takes is one dropping from a wild bird flying over.
“All you can do is hope no one else gets it.”
Bird owners urged to remain cautious
Angus Council have confirmed environmental protection officers are contacting residents to ensure strict guidelines are being kept.
Bird owners in the affected area have been told to contact the animal and plant health agency (APHA).
Restrictions for keeping poultry are in place within the protection zone to try and prevent the spread.
The council has also urged people to not touch any dead or sick birds and to keep pets away.
This is the third bird flu outbreak found in Tayside and Fife in December, with the latest being an outbreak in Fife.
An avian influenza protection zone (AIPZ) was declared across the whole of the UK on October 17.
In rare cases bird flu can affect humans and can be spread through close contact to infected birds.
Conversation