Dogs maul sheep in shock attack

Photo / Paul Taylor

Three dogs have savaged about 40 sheep on a Rotorua farm in the worst attack in memory, animal control officers say.

The animals caused between $8000 and $10,000 worth of damage when they killed the mostly pregnant ewes yesterday, Rotorua District Council animal control supervisor Kevin Coutts told NZPA.

"The farmer's pretty gutted. It's almost half his flock gone."

A passerby saw the carnage and contacted animal control about 3.15pm, he said.

One of the dogs, a labrador cross, was shot by animal control officers, but the other two - a mastiff cross and a huntaway cross - escaped.

"We're not talking the menacing breeds here," Mr Coutts said.

Legal action would be taken against the owner of the dog that was shot, and that person would be charged under the Dog Control Act of being in charge of a dog that attacks stock.

Mr Coutts hoped that owner would be able to identify the owners of the missing dogs.

Once the owners of the dogs were charged, he would apply to the courts for reparation to be paid to the farmer.

His message to all dog owners was to keep them on their own property.

"It's not rocket science, it's simple. This makes me quite angry because it's avoidable.

"Most people know where their animals are, but we've got some irresponsible idiots, who probably shouldn't own dogs, who don't seem to mind their dogs out roaming."

- NZPA