Companion dogs around towns and hamlets were killing and maiming stock, according to Vacy landowner Dennis Rapson.
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During the past six months more than 60 ewes and lambs had been lost to “destructive companion dogs”, he told Wednesday’s (16th) meeting of the Northern Region Feral Animal Advisory Committee meeting at Dungog RSL Club.
New subdivisions were attracting people from cities looking for a country lifestyle. They brought with them mid to large-size dogs and failed to restrain them.
The dogs, left to roam, formed packs and wreaked havoc with foals, sheep, goats and calves. Mr Rapson said the stock lost over the past six months was worth some $20,000.
“This is a huge financial loss for us,” he said. “My experience has been that some people still do not realise the damage their dogs are doing or they do not want to know. They find it hard to believe that when their dog goes off for an hour or two, it is causing so much destruction. They can’t believe their family pet would do this.”
Mr Rapson said that living close to a small village restricted baiting methods – only fox-baiting could be carried out. Foxes had been known to take new-born lambs, so baits were laid each year.
And because domestic dogs could be susceptible to the baits, adjoining landholders were notified before any bait was set.
“This is designed to allow companion dogs to be tied up,” Mr Rapson said. “Once baits are collected, dogs roam free again. I believe this is one of the reasons why the problem is not being rectified.
“Dogs and their owners ‘play’ the game. Although companion dogs are not a targeted species of fox baits around villages, it leaves one with very few options on how to control the dog problem.”
Mr Rapson said a trapper had tried to capture the dogs responsible but had failed.
“The dogs are cunning, killing the sheep but not eating them,” he said.
Companion dogs were a problem for the local council, Mr Rapson said. And when approving subdivisions, councils should take the dog problem into consideration.
At the suggestion of Dungog Shire Mayor Harold Johnston, a meeting will be organised with the Hunter Council Group, which incorporates 11 councils, to discuss ways of dealing with the growing dog problem. Other issues raised at the meeting included the encroachment of deer in the Tillegra area and feral pigs around the headwaters of Chichester Dam.
