Livestock mauled on Auckland farms by dogs off leash

Monday, 2 November 2015

Auckland farmers are losing sleep, money and patience while they attempt to keep their stock protected from a spate of dog attacks. 

Two dogs have been roaming the area in South East Auckland suburbs of Flatbush for three weeks, killing and mauling dozens of animals. 

One of the pair - which were believed to be residential dogs off the leash - was caught on Sunday morning by farmer and Mt Roskill Grammer School teacher Mitch Cranch.

Cranch was on edge about the bigger of the dogs still being on the loose though. 

'Ideally I'd like the owners to be found. I have a massive vet bill that I can't afford to pay just because someone's dogs have been ripping apart my livestock.'

Cranch's partner Alanna Boulter said they were exhausted from being woken up by dogs or injured animals most nights. 

She said the dogs were roaming a large area around their own farm on Murphy's Road, leaving the wider community unsettled and fearful of the next attack.

'Nobody has been sleeping - at least no one has that has had their animals attacked. We're all up awake at night listening out for the dogs'.

Boulter and Cranch were spending hours each day treating the animals, which were healing in a contained pen.

'Every day I have to go out and treat them - cleaning out oozing wounds and applying antiseptic', Boulter said.

Over the three times the dogs have targeted the pair's farm, they had lost three sheep and a chicken to the  attacks, as well as finding around 10 sheep badly mauled.

On other farms, lambs, chicken, and an alpaca have been killed. 

Cranch caught the dogs in action on their second visit, when the dogs chased the sheep around the front yard and broke a fence. 

He described the dogs as large pitbull like animals, one brown and one tan. 

'They both looked really well kept, they didn't look like they had been living rough at all', Cranch said.

The pair had been in touch with Auckland City Council's Animal Control, who set traps on their property as well as two others.

The smaller, darker coloured dog was caught in one of the council's traps early on Sunday after Cranch had baited it with meat.

The dog was taken away by Animal Control.

Cranch hadn't yet heard whether the dog had a microchip.

Under the Dog Control Act 1996, the owner of a dog that attacks a person or animal can be fined up to $3000.

Land owners have the legal right to shoot dogs that are threatening their livestock under the same act.

Concerns were raised by fellow Flatbush residents on a community Facebook page over some farmers' suggestions of shooting the dogs.

Counties Manukau Police Senior Sergeant Neil Phillips said Flatbush being so near to a residential area meant anyone using a firearm needed to be aware of their surroundings, and whether they were putting anyone in danger.

'The close you are to a dwelling house, the more likely you are to be endangering someone. They would have to show reasonable cause - it's a balancing act.'

Cranch said those affected had been attempting to monitor the area to prevent further attacks, and hoped the remaining dog would be caught.

'It's been going on for three weeks already - I really couldn't deal with much more', Cranch said.