Sheep slaughtered in Bellevue

Four more domestic sheep have been killed in fresh attack in Bellevue. File photo.

Roaming dogs are being blamed for the slaughter of sheep on the same Bellevue property that was hit last year.

Meg Graeme, whose parents own the flock on Princess Road, hopes people will be able to help before more sheep are killed.

'This time we only lost four sheep, as opposed to the whole flock of 14 last time,” she says, adding that the two lambs who survived the previous attack had to be put down.

The attack happened at about 7am on Saturday, although because the sheep go silent in such situations, no one heard anything.

'Fortunately a neighbour looked out the window, saw a dog run past chasing a sheep, and alerted us.”

She says there are eight left in this flock now, which are kept on the lifestyle block just to keep the grass down.

Meg's family have always had sheep on the three-acre property, for more than 40 years now.

She thinks it's important for people in the community to know, especially those with sheep of their own.

'We wouldn't have put our sheep up in the top paddock if we'd known there were dogs roaming about.”

Meg believes they could have come from the Bellevue area, or they could have come across the wetlands from Bethlehem.

She describes them as a medium sized black dog with a pointed nose and the other a larger greyish dog with a much more solid build, like a pig dog.

The council has supplied dog traps, but there's not much more they can do unless the dogs turn up again, or somebody recognises the dogs from their description.

'If anyone knows anything they should ring the council.”

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5 comments

Avr

Posted on 15-05-2017 15:02 | By Anton

Why are the owners from the dog(s) don't know where they are.There should be hefty fines on this behaviour. Not only those sheep suffer but also the owners of them.


I think catch the dogs....

Posted on 16-05-2017 00:42 | By GreertonBoy

Then find the owners.... and neuter them! The dogs I mean... well, yeah, just the dogs.... the first time at least. But seriously... I think the council should get the dog catcher department in gear, and make it law that as soon as a stray dog is picked up.... neuter it, then look for the owner to come and pay for the operation and take it home, plus a fine. When one of these whining dog owners that let their dogs run around injuring people and killing sheep and other dogs get called in to pick up their freshly neutered dog (and pay for it) then other owners will make sure their friendly little pitt bull is safely locked up.... because if it isn't where they think it is, it might cost them alot of money to get it back,,,, a few ounces lighter. Might work?


Dogs are smart

Posted on 17-05-2017 18:17 | By Papamoaner

Just like our townie kids. They succumb to peer pressure and readily act out the "done thing" in a pack, just like some of our youth do. The reasons for it are very similar - boredom! if you take kids hunting, fishing, tramping, they stay out of trouble. Pretty much the same with dogs. Trouble is, we don't do that. Instead, we make our kids ultra-competitive with crap like rugby etc etc - all competitive shit, all about winners and losers. Dogs are not silly. They sense human behaviour and copy it. What we sow, we reap! Don't blame the dogs!


I agree Papamoaner

Posted on 18-05-2017 15:25 | By GreertonBoy

However, some dogs that are not treated well, neglected by their human masters, or basically left to their own devices can have deep rooted natural instincts surface.... which can lead to them forming packs like our teenage gangs, only where teen gangs are often aware of right and wrong and choose to go looking for mischief, packs of dogs simply end up following their instincts and kill because they can.... Basically, if the dog doesn't feel like it is part of a pack with its human family, it will look for other roaming dogs and become a pack with them instead.... As you say, keeping your dogs mind occupied should suppress some of the darker instincts from surfacing... de-sexing also contains alot of these inappropriate instincts coming out.


@Greerton Boy

Posted on 18-05-2017 16:24 | By Papamoaner

I can't argue with that. You are correct, and unfortunately it invariably ends up with man's best friend being put down in a lonely place where they know nobody.


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