Dannevirke: Dogs that attacked sheep destroyed

Two dogs which attacked and killed 30 sheep west of Dannevirke last week have been destroyed.

"Our animal control officers were called to an incident up the back of the Tamaki (west of Dannevirke) after a farmer had 30 sheep killed and given the bite pattern and the speed of the attack it appears the dogs have done it before," Blair King, chief executive of Tararua District Council, said.

Neither of the two dogs, one believed to be a bull terrier and the other a cross breed, were microchipped and council staff had been unable to contact their owner, Mr King said.

In an earlier incident two dogs were destroyed by a farmer after worrying sheep. The owners of those dogs were identified and were billed by the stock owner for the loss of the stock.

Sergeant Paul Adrian of the Dannevirke police said he'd "talked" with residents in the Kiritaki district regarding that incident. "The person who shot those dogs had done nothing wrong," he told the Dannevirke News.

And Mr King told Tararua District councillors the number of complaints coming in to animal control officers were "exceptionally high".

"More than 50 complaints a week are being received and our two staff are struggling," he said.

Staff numbers required to provide adequate service to the district are being reviewed.