Farmer wakes to scene of slaughter

A Waiheke Island farmer woke yesterday to find dogs had savaged nearly all her sheep - killing lambs and heavily pregnant ewes.

Last month, Auckland City Council staff set dog traps on the island in the lead-up to the lambing season.

Mary Stevenson, who owns a farmlet at Ostend with 30 sheep, was shocked to find some dead and others staggering around with open wounds.

Last night, she said five newborn lambs and six ewes had been killed.

About 15 other ewes were attacked and she was not sure how many would be alive today.

"It's horrible. I've never had such a bad attack in all my years of being here. It's terrible, it's just like a battlefield ... They've just got their faces torn out and punctured holes everywhere. It's ghastly.

"I was standing there talking to someone and I've got a sheep sitting in the paddock totally comatose with one ear missing and I'm standing there and here's the ear by my feet. Whether she pulls through or not, I don't know. She's got a gaping hole in her head."

Mrs Stevenson saw the dogs on her property after being alerted by a neighbour and - cautiously - called them to her yesterday. She was surprised when the dogs obeyed and she led them to a shed, where they were kept until animal control staff arrived.

The dogs are believed to be pets of another Waiheke local who lives about 3km away.

Council animal contracts manager Clare Connell said the city needed a dog owner's consent or a court order before an animal could be destroyed and a decision about the dogs' fate could take days.

Mrs Stevenson said she hoped the dogs would be put down, adding that the owners should not be allowed to have dogs again.

"It's just neglect, it's absolute neglect. I'm going to go for compensation for the vet, loss of sheep, wool and everything as well, plus my time."

Council staff said one of the dogs was a Labrador-cross and the other a bull-terrier cross.

Ms Connell said it was too soon to say if the dogs were responsible for other recent attacks on the island, including attacks on roosters, hens and sheep in at least three separate events.

"It's devastating for the farmers to lose their stock - its financial impact, but also emotionally - because they're fond of their animals and they've cared for them."