Roaming dogs claim more pregnant ewes

Whatatutu farmer Fraser Moore and his family lost nine heavily pregnant ewes to dog attacks on Monday night, and they have lined the bodies up along the roadside at Whatatutu as a warning to other farmers. Picture supplied

For the second time in 10 days, pregnant sheep have been killed by roaming dogs in the district, this time in a paddock alongside Whatatutu Road on Amua Station.

Nine heavily in-lamb ewes were killed there on Monday night.

This follows the slaughter of pregnant ewes on Patutahi farmer Bob Bryson’s place and on other farms in that area on two occasions in July.

Around 40 sheep in all were killed by dogs then.

Whatatutu farmer Fraser Moore told The Herald yesterday that six of his ewes were found dead in the paddock yesterday morning.

“We had to put another three down because they were so badly injured.

“They were all carrying twin lambs.”

Mr Moore said he and his family were “gutted” at the loss of their animals.

“It has been a hard enough year without this s..t going down.”

He has a simple message for dog owners in that area.

“Tie your bloody dogs up!”

Mr Moore said some of his dead ewes were to be lined up along the roadside for now, to serve as a warning to other farmers in the area.

“The message is this is what can happen when dogs roam, and there are dogs roaming in our area,” Mr Moore said.

The police and Gisborne District Council’s animal control staff were in the Whatatutu area yesterday to conduct inquiries.