A WAVE of cruelty complaints about sheep has revealed neglect among hobby farmers in Tasmania.
RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Greg Tredinnick said two major sources of complaints in recent weeks were sheep with heavy wool loads and the agonising condition of foundering in horses, The Mercury reports.
Under-fed sheep were common in drought-stricken Tasmania, but Mr Tredinnick said many complaints were about sheep owned by people with little knowledge of how to keep them.
Sheep should be shorn at least once a year.
"We've had responses like 'but it was only shorn two years ago'," Mr Tredinnick said.
"Shearers aren't like hairdressers. You can't just book your sheep in for a trim the next day. At this time of year it can be almost impossible to get hold of a shearer, so you need to arrange for a visit in advance, regularly.
"We've had animals come in with wool almost down to their hooves which is just ridiculous.
"At that length it can interfere with their ability to graze and to drink. They'll also get caught more easily in blackberries and even fences."
More on this story on The Mercury.