Northland farmer has hundreds of sheep killed by roaming dogs

Farmer Finn Cook is thinking of quitting sheep farming if the killing can't be stopped. Photo / Michael Craig

By Luka Forman of RNZ

A Northland farmer says more than 250 of his family’s sheep have been killed by roaming dogs, and he’s thinking of quitting sheep farming if the killing can’t be stopped.

His call for action comes in the same week a woman was mauled to death by a pack of dogs in Kaihu.

Finn Cook is the fourth generation of his family to farm near Kāeo in the Far North.

He said roaming dogs had always been a bit of a nuisance for their stock, but towards the end of last year, the problem got out of hand as hundreds of their sheep were attacked and killed.

“It’s pretty disgusting to walk out there and see sheep half chewed on, still alive, can’t move on the ground.

“Especially in the heat with the flies and stuff.”

Cook said his uncle had already had to give up on sheep farming because of wild dogs, and if Cook couldn’t find a solution, his family would have to do the same.

“We’re at a dead end. We don’t know what to do.

“We don’t know what support there is for us as farmers because the laws aren’t in anyone’s favour here.”

He has tried taking matters into his own hands and shooting the dogs, but he said it didn’t make a difference.

“They just keep coming.

“The dog owners need to hold themselves accountable; they don’t post up that they’ve got missing dogs either.

“Because I’m sure they know their dog’s been up to no good.”

He also tried contacting dog control at the council, but said it was hard to get any action from them.

“You’ve basically got to visually sight the dog all the way home, prove where it’s living and then also prove that it’s been killing your sheep ... for them to actually do anything about it.”

But Far North District Council’s delivery and operations manager, Hillary Sumpter, said in a statement that the council only had records of one complaint from Cook.

“If we gave Mr Cook the impression that the council would only act when it had video evidence, then I apologise – that is not the case,” Sumpter said.

The council needed good eyewitness accounts or other evidence linking a dog to an attack that would stand up in court, she said.

“Setting dog traps and focusing our patrols on problem areas are methods we use to gather evidence.

“It is not possible to monitor a property 24 hours a day.”

Whangārei woman Tracy Clarke also knows about the problems roaming dogs can cause – she has been afraid to even walk down her street since she narrowly escaped a pitbull coming after her.

“It’s only just a few metres away, and I knew that I was in bloody big strife to be fair.

“Within a split second, I just heard a woman scream at me to get in, and she parked up beside me – it was actually a local courier.”

After that ordeal, Clarke delivered a petition to Parliament, calling for the rules around dog control to be changed.

“The current legislation governing dog ownership and control came into force in 1996.

“I know that sounds just like yesterday, but in actual fact, it was all written 30 years ago.

“Clearly, it’s no longer befitting.”

Cook agreed there needed to be law changes, but said the owners needed to take some responsibility.

- RNZ