Police investigate death of 30 sheep after drinking from watering hole in Spain's Valencia region

Some thirty sheep have died in Benifaió after drinking stagnant water in the municipality in the Valencia region of Spain. The incident happened on Monday 12 August when the shepherd took the animals to a shady spot to rest and when they saw the watering hole, the livestock rushed to drink it, after which they began to convulse and all of them died shortly afterwards.

Police officers from the Guardia Civil's Seprona nature and environmental protection branch in Valencia were quickly on the scene, and samples were taken from the dead animals and from the stagnant water, as well as from a nearby ditch.

It is hoped the results of the analysis will ascertain the cause of the deaths of the sheep and, consequently, determine any possible civil or criminal liability.