SPCA exhumes three bodies after dog slaughter

33 dogs were shot dead on Rowan Hargreaves' property last week. Photo / Greg Bowker

Animal welfare inspectors have exhumed the bodies of three dogs killed in a frenzied slaughter in Northland last week which left 33 dogs dead.

The SPCA, which is investigating the case and is considering laying animal cruelty charges, said there was now a possibility, as yet unproven, that some of the dogs were first shot by a shotgun but not killed.

SPCA executive director Bob Kerridge said some of the dogs were peppered with shotgun pellets, possibly from some distance, and may have been finished off with a 22 calibre rifle as they lay wounded.

"From our bodies we may determine what gun was used," he told NZPA today.

He said bodies were removed from their grave on the property of dog owner Rowan Hargreaves by the SPCA as part of the inquiry into the shooting, described by police as "a bloody, rifle-killing frenzy".

The exhumation of the three dogs gave the SPCA a total of 13 bodies.

The dogs were shot by two men with a .22 calibre rifle and a shotgun in a dispute between Mr Hargreaves and his neighbour Russell Mendoza.

Mr Kerridge said 10 bodies were taken soon after the killing and the other three were taken by inspectors who wanted more evidence.

The other 20 bodies were too badly decomposed and had deteriorated too badly in the bad weather since the shooting on Tuesday last week, he said.

"It was obvious they couldn't get anything substantive out of the remaining bodies."

Mr Kerridge said a decision on whether to charge anyone for cruelty to animals over the way the dogs died may be made later this week.

- NZPA