The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Farmers criticise police as cattle-killing probe stalls

George Block
Otago Daily Times·
14 Aug, 2018 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Thomas and Regula Fischli with the skull of a cow shot through the head. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Thomas and Regula Fischli with the skull of a cow shot through the head. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A couple whose cow was killed in a series of livestock shootings in January has criticised police for a lack of progress on the investigation.

While some in the community believe a Dunedin teenager and his friend are responsible for the shootings, the teenager's father says the accusations, which first surfaced on social media, are baseless.

The shootings happened during the first week of January at farms near Milton.

Nine sheep and two cattle beasts, a cow and a bull were shot, but no meat was gathered from the animals.

The shot cow belonged to Thomas and Regula Fischli, of Akatore Rd, in rural Milton.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Fischli, who was a police officer in Switzerland before emigrating to New Zealand, said the police response was initially "really good" after one of their Limousin/Angus/Hereford-cross cows, worth $1800, was shot in the head.

That no one had been arrested after more than eight months was frustrating, as was the lack of communication from local officers, he said.

"They always said 'We'll keep you in the loop', but they never did."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Two weeks after the shootings the couple were approached by several people who named a local teen as one of two people allegedly responsible, Fischli said.

Several of the other farmers whose stock were killed also said they were convinced the teenager and his friend were responsible.

Regula Fischli and another farmer, who had two sheep killed, said they had even sent bills for the costs to the father, a prominent local businessman.

Fischli said he and his wife were convinced the teenager was behind the killings.

Discover more

New Zealand

Injured shark's welfare not in question

14 Aug 06:29 PM

"Now it's time to face the music. Every action has its consequences," he said.

Three of the farmers whose stock had been shot said they had not been approached by the teenager's father, despite rumours the man was paying farmers to stay silent.

The teenager's father confirmed yesterday he and his son had been spoken to by police, but strongly denied the accusations against the teenager.

The accusations stemmed from stray comments on social media on a post related to the shootings, he said.

"Some idiot mate of his and another kid tagged their names on [a social media page]. That's what happened.

"The farmers have got it all wrong."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The man said he was considering legal action against those naming the teenager.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Not hanging about: Whanganui tree climber's race for the top

12 Feb 10:00 PM
Live
The Country

51 hours of rain: North Island braces for thundery downpours as tropical low moves in

12 Feb 09:33 PM
The Country

NZ red meat exports reached record levels in 2025

12 Feb 09:33 PM

Sponsored

Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk

09 Feb 09:12 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Not hanging about: Whanganui tree climber's race for the top
The Country

Not hanging about: Whanganui tree climber's race for the top

Eddie White was introduced to the sport in 2018 after talking to an arborist friend.

12 Feb 10:00 PM
51 hours of rain: North Island braces for thundery downpours as tropical low moves in
Live
The Country

51 hours of rain: North Island braces for thundery downpours as tropical low moves in

12 Feb 09:33 PM
NZ red meat exports reached record levels in 2025
The Country

NZ red meat exports reached record levels in 2025

12 Feb 09:33 PM


Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk
Sponsored

Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk

09 Feb 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP