Gisborne: Six dogs kill 53 lambs, ducks and chickens

WARNING: Distressing content

• Six unregistered dogs killed more than 50 lambs, ducks, and chickens in Gisborne, sparking fear among residents.
• The dogs were surrendered to council animal control and euthanised.
• Affected residents want law changes and potential owner compensation.

Six dogs have killed more than 50 lambs, ducks and chickens in attacks described as ‘‘horrific’' and ‘‘heartbreaking’'.

Residents around Gisborne’s Nelson Rd and Campion Rd are now afraid to keep animals on their properties after last Sunday’s attack in which 53 animals died.

The unregistered dogs were surrendered to council animal control and euthanised.

Adelle Tombleson lost 16 lambs and three ewes.

“We found the lambs, some, scattered around the paddock that we had to put down because they were too far gone,” Tombleson told the Gisborne Herald.

“We spent most of Sunday morning literally dragging the live ones out of the mud of the Taruheru [River].”

A group of escaped unregistered dogs in Gisborne have been caught and put down after they killed 24 Muscovy ducks, 10 chickens, 16 lambs and three ewes on nearby properties in a single night.

She found one dog on a neighbouring property and called animal control.

“[It was] a mongrel-looking thing. It would have been the size of a heading dog, but it wasn’t a heading dog.”

She no longer feels safe keeping stock on her property.

“It’s the constant worry now. You hear a barking noise in the distance and it is like, is it going to happen again?”

“It was heartbreaking, mixed with anger.”

She said, in her opinion, the owner of the unregistered dogs should be prosecuted.

A council spokeswoman confirmed there was no prosecution pending.

One of the Muscovy ducks that was attacked and later died after this photo was taken.

Another nearby resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, lost 24 Muscovy ducks while another four were left injured after the dog attack.

“The injuries to the ducks and sheep were horrific. [The] consequences to us hurt both emotionally and financially...’' she said.

“GDC dog control were very good but laws need revision.”

She believed the owner of the unregistered dogs should be required to give compensation.

Euthanisation should be automatic for dogs that had killed a certain amount of animals like in this case, she said.

A third nearby resident, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said she got “a hell of a shock” when a neighbour called her while she was away to tell her that her 10 chickens were dead.

“There were bits of chicken down Nelson Rd,” she said.

She said it was a sad situation for everyone, including the owner of the dogs which had to be euthanised.

Ross Hannam, Gisborne District Council team leader of animal control, said the animal control team responded to reports of dogs attacking animals around the Nelson Rd and Campion Rd area on Sunday.

“Six unregistered dogs were surrendered to the team and later euthanised. The decision to euthanise an animal is never taken lightly but public safety is our top priority,” Hannam said.

“The team always works hard to ensure the safety of both animals and the public.”