PASTORALISTS are calling for more assistance in the wild dog fight as populations move south.
Christobel Treloar from 88,000-hectare Mooleulooloo Station, 120 kilometres west of Cockburn, has lived 15km south of the dog fence for 28 years and said they were struggling with growing numbers.
“It is out of hand and getting worse,” she said.
“I can’t imagine what it will be like in the years to come.”
Mrs Treloar said the dogs were also becoming more greedy.
“They’re not just after lambs anymore, they’re killing adult sheep,” she said.
Mrs Treloar called for the National Resources Management board to help.
“They're ignoring the fact there's a problem. There is a lack of assistance,” she said.
“It is simple. We need more trappers. I question where our money is going.”
They're not just after lambs anymore, they’re killing adult sheep.
- CHRISTOBEL TRELOAR
SA Wild Dog Action Group member, Livestock SA president and fellow pastoralist Geoff Power said it was the smarter dogs that were the problem.
“We’re talking about the cunning dogs that don't take a bait,” he said.
“Pastoralists are working as hard as they can to eradicate dogs. It sometimes takes weeks, even months to capture a particular dog.”
Mr Power said it was only a matter of time until the dogs reached metropolitan areas.
“You're going to see dogs in Mount Lofty Ranges,” he said. “Once you get into a semi-urban situation like that, it's very difficult to trap because you might get somebody’s pet. Then you've got a very urban problem.”
Mrs Treloar believes addressing the problem on a national scale is vital.
“We need to work together on a strategy, whether it be national baiting across a month,” she said.
Mr Power would like to see the state’s one trapper reinstated.
“There is a lot of skill involved in the trapping of dogs, so we need a designated trapper,” he said.
“The wild dog problem is going to be a problem for a long time so we need to be proactive, and we need funding for a designated trapper. Without one, it will only get worse.”
Mr Power said there were 23 trappers in Vic funded by the government.
“We need more help and the state government needs to put its hand up to help,” he said.
Mr Power said the dogs weren’t just a threat to the sheep industry.
“We’ve got pristine areas in northern SA, with yellow footed rock wallabies in the national park and they’re doing very well,” he said.
“If we don’t get rid of the dogs, a lot of wildlife is under threat.”
Mr Power said the responsibility should be shared between the government, the community and landholders.
“I hope common sense prevails,” he said.
