Sheep mauled to death on Dunedin lifestyle block after dogs escape

One of the dogs involved in an attack on sheep in Dunedin yesterday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Two dogs killed at least one sheep at a Dunedin lifestyle block yesterday afternoon, and one is already set to be put down.

The Dunedin City Council is also investigating the deaths of two more sheep at a nearby property in another dog attack later yesterday, but it was unable to confirm if the same dogs carried out both maulings on the Otago Peninsula.

A woman who lives on the section near Highcliff Rd, and who requested anonymity, said she had never seen either of the two dogs before they entered her property and grabbed a sheep by the neck.

"I used to read about it but I never thought it'd happen to me."

She lost sight of them, then went looking for the pair, managing to grab one, a large black dog which appeared to be a mixed-breed terrier.

Dunedin City Council animal control officer Karan Whyte checks for a microchip in one of the dogs involved in an attack on sheep in Dunedin yesterday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The woman hauled the blood-stained dog back to her farmhouse where she tied it to a quad bike and called animal control.

She provided the dog with water and expressed sympathy for its plight, saying she did not want to see either dog put down.

"It's always the owners, not the dogs."

When animal control officer Karan Whyte arrived she locked the agitated dog in her van, then set off to look for the other.

She and the owner discovered a badly mauled ewe dead in a patch of gorse.

The other dog remained missing for a few hours but was recaptured about 5.30pm, and three sheep remained unaccounted for.

A council spokeswoman said the two dogs had escaped from the same property but belonged to different owners.

One owner had agreed to their dog being put down but discussions were continuing with the other owner.

Later yesterday evening a report came in of another dog attack on two sheep at a nearby property.

The spokeswoman said staff were investigating but could not ascertain if the same dogs carried out that attack.