A Victorian farmer who shot dead two dogs which mauled 70 weaner lambs has issued an impassioned plea to dog owners, urging them to lock up their dogs to prevent them from straying onto farmland.
Pastoria East farmer Daniel McKenna shot dead the two trespassing dogs on his property, 12 kilometres north of Lancefield, after discovering they had bitten the necks of 70 nine-month-old Dohne/Merino lambs.
Mr McKenna discovered the grim scene last Tuesday when he approached a dam a kilometre from his home to start a pump.
"I was confronted with about 30 sheep on the ground with their feet in the air," he said.
"They had been mauled at the neck, grabbed on both sides... their spines were crushed and they were paralyzed."
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Mr McKenna initially called his wife to advise her of the situation before racing home to collect two rifles.
"On my way back to the house, before I got out of the paddock I was confronted by two dogs," he said.
"I called them and they wouldn't come to me and they started to disappear and run off.
"I managed to take a photo of them, the smaller one was black and brown and looking quite tired and the other one was a big brown dog, a bit like a boxer face but with a heavier build."
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW
By that stage, neighbours had arrived at the property to help with the disposal of the injured sheep, along with rangers from Macedon Ranges Shire Council.
Mr McKenna said he was eager to euthanise the injured sheep as wedge-tailed eagles were circling low above some of the vulnerable sheep.
Foggy conditions made it hard to determine the extent of the attack, but as conditions cleared the situation became worse.
"In total, we had 70 lambs which were mauled on their necks, three were dead on arrival and we had to euthanise about 30 in the paddock," Mr McKenna said.
"So far we've lost 38 lambs as a result of the attack, including one on Sunday."
Mr McKenna runs the dual-purpose Dohne/Merino breeding operation and joins about 800 ewes.
While he was shooting the injured sheep, the dogs in question reappeared along a fence line near bracken.
"It was just lucky they hadn't left the paddock and the ranger was there," he said.
"When they saw us, they ducked again into the bracken, but I managed to shoot them in the process."
Rangers collected the dogs and Mr McKenna said their microchips revealed they belonged to people who lived about two kilometres away from his property.
"I'm gutted," he said.
"They were the first drop of weaner ewe lambs I was saving for breeding."
Mr McKenna said he was still in negotiations with the dogs' owners about compensation for the killed lambs.
"Just on the sheep alone if you're looking at lamb prices at the moment, they were April shorn, and you're looking at over $5000," he said.
"City people who move up to the country need to be aware of the risks they take when they bring their family pets or hunting breeds to the bush.
"The laws are quite clear about how owners need to confine dogs to rural properties, so please, keep control of your dogs if you surround farmland."
Dogs found at large outside their owners' property between sunrise and sunset can carry a penalty up to $1090 under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Macedon Ranges Shire has been contacted for comment.