$6k in bills after dogs maul sheep

A Flaxmere woman has been fined after her dogs mauled some sheep.

A woman is facing bills of more than $6000, after her dogs strayed from their Flaxmere home and were involved in the mauling of dozens of sheep.

However, although the woman would not initially accept her dogs were responsible, Hastings District Council dog control manager John Payne says attacks on sheep on the outskirts of Flaxmere appeared to have come to an end since the dogs were impounded in August.

They have since been destroyed and last week the woman pleaded guilty in Hastings District Court to a charge relating to the mauling. She was ordered to pay reparation of $4500 and court costs of $130, in addition to $1600 in infringement fees already faced.

Noting the overall penalties had passed $6000 and that the dogs had already been destroyed, the judge decided against any further penalty.

The council and police had been aware of several attacks near Portsmouth Rd in June and July.

In one case at least 40 sheep were killed or injured.

Mr Payne said public appeals, including a leaflet drop in the area, raised awareness in the community and the two dogs were caught, after a member of the public alerted a farmer of an attack in progress and he followed a pit bull terrier and a staffordshire-cross to an address in the area.

One of the dogs vomited up sheep parts while at the pound which confirmed they were the right animals, he said.

"No one wants to think their dogs are capable of this.

"The best protection is to keep them fenced in."