Kerikeri resident Nitya Nixon and her daughters Sarai and Tara are upset after 11 of their chickens were killed in three separate dog attacks this year. Photo / Jenny Ling
Kerikeri resident Nitya Nixon and her daughters Sarai and Tara are upset after 11 of their chickens were killed in three separate dog attacks this year. Photo / Jenny Ling
A Far North couple are calling for action and accountability after 11 of their chickens were killed by roaming Rottweilers in three separate dog attacks this year.
Kerikeri residents Nitya and Kyle Nixon's youngest daughter, aged 4, is now petrified of dogs after witnessing them destroy her pets during oneof the attacks.
Mum Nitya Nixon said both her daughters are now scared after the dogs broke through the wire fence to get to the chickens, and she's afraid the attacks could escalate.
"The first time it was right in front of our 4-year-old; there was this big dog with a chicken in its mouth.
"This time my daughter went out to feed the chickens and she saw feathers everywhere and the fence was knocked down. The dog was right behind her. She ran inside screaming. She was so freaked out.
"I'm worried nothing is going to happen, is it going to escalate, is the dog going to move on to other animals or kids?"
Nitya said during the first attack in January, two large Rottweilers killed four of their chickens.
The Nixons took this photo of a large black dog with a chicken in its mouth on their property. Photo / Supplied
After providing photographic evidence of the dogs with dead chickens in their mouths to the Far North District Council, animal control officers visited a neighbouring property and issued the dog owner a control notice for straying.
Nitya said the owner also bought them new chickens and the older of the two dogs was rehomed.
The younger dog is believed to be responsible for the two recent attacks, one which happened on June 29, where two chickens were killed, and the latest on July 5 when the remaining five chickens were killed.
The Nixons reported these incidents to the council and are disappointed with their lack of response.
"Dog control do nothing," Nitya said.
"Because we don't have clear photo evidence of the recent attacks, they say they can't do anything. Even though we got a photo this time they said it's too vague, it can't 100 per cent prove it's this dog.
"All the onus is put onto us to prove it's this dog."
The now empty chicken house, following three separate attacks by roaming dogs. Photo / Jenny Ling
The Nixons want the dog owner to take responsibility for the maulings, get aversion training for his animal and compensate them for their losses.
The owner of the younger dog believed to be involved said it was "impossible" as his dog was chained up most of the time.
Council environmental services manager Rochelle Deane said the June 29 incident "was not reported to the council as no dogs were seen".
"Unfortunately, a photo taken of a dog from a distance during the most recent attack on 5 July does not conclusively prove the dog's identity or that it had been the dog responsible for killing the chickens," Deane said.
"We have had no other evidence provided that would identify the dog or dogs responsible for killing the chickens."
One of the chickens which was killed by two roaming Rottweilers at the Nixon's property in January. Photo / Supplied
Deane said the council has not given up on catching the dogs responsible for killing the Nixons' chickens and had provided them with a dog trap.
"We will respond immediately to reports of an attack in progress."
In May, a dog that attacked a cyclist on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail was put down by its owner.
The pitbull-type dog was not on a leash while its owners were walking the trail.
