Graziers in Victoria's high country have labelled a move to extend the contract of a wild dog trapper by just four months "a bloody disaster" after the government originally planned to can the position on June 30.
The role of the contracted wild dog trapper was due to finish at the end of June after the graziers were told "budget constraints" meant the region would be left with just one full-time wild dog controller.
In a turn of events, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action said on Monday there would be no staff reductions and existing staffing arrangements in Gippsland would continue.
Stock & Land understands the contract of the wild dog trapper has been extended until October.
Gordon Moon, a retired wild dog trapper of 16 years, farms at Black Mountain and runs 2500 Merino sheep.
He said the job would be impossible to do with just one person in his area.
"We've heard very little, in fact nothing from the department," Mr Moon said.
"I was told by a neighbour that the department told the dog trapper he would be responsible for informing landowners he wouldn't be around any longer... they (the department) wouldn't do it themselves.
"He was supposed to finish in June, so I suppose it's a backflip by the government department because now we understand his contract has been extended until October."
Mr Moon said, since the introduction of a second dog trapper in the Nowa Nowa district three years ago, wild dogs had diminished in population and the effects on livestock were minimal.
"I've been very lucky lately, but in the past I've lost up to 200 sheep a year from dog attacks," he said.
"Not too many people are running sheep up here, my brother Peter and I are the only ones doing it.
"Whereas 20 years ago, nearly every property had sheep on them."
Mr Moon said he shot eight wild dogs on his property last year.
"Very few, if any, of these dogs were dingoes," Mr Moon said.
"These dogs are different colours, they are hybrid dogs, and some of them appear to look like dingoes, but a majority of them are crossbred dogs that hunt and kill livestock."
Buchan South grazier Peter Sandy said up until seven years ago, the district had three wild dog trappers, but the reduction to just one full-time employee and a casual contractor meant the management of wild dog populations posed a serious risk to farmers.
"We've got bandicoots who have turned up and haven't been here for 50 years, and that's because of the fox baiting, and we have rock wallabies up at Little River Gorge," Mr Sandy, another former dog trapper, said.
"It will be the end of both of those species within years if the government starts protecting wild dogs.
"It's ignorant bloody stupidity and it's going to be a bloody disaster."
The dingo unprotection order for eastern Victoria remains in place until October 1, 2024.
The order allows the control of dingoes and wild dogs where they threaten livestock along the boundaries of specified public land and on most private land across the state.
However, DEECA said it no longer applies in the north-west of the state due to the risk of extinction of the local dingo populations.
The government said it was reviewing the program to determine future management practices that appropriately balanced the protection of livestock and the conservation of dingoes.
"The big concern is what is going to happen on October 1," Mr Sandy said.
"If the government protects the wild dog, I assume the 1080 will go out the window because you can't poison foxes and not expect a wild dog to eat one of those baits."
A DEECA spokesperson said the government would continue to deliver the Wild Dog Management Program across eastern Victoria for the meantime.
"DEECA is committed to supporting regional communities and is working to support invasive species and predator management across public and private land," they said.
The program is made up of 18 wild dog controllers who prioritise efforts across impacted areas of eastern Victoria.
The spokesperson said there were a number of non-lethal options farmers could adopt to protect their livestock from dingoes and wild dogs, including the use of guardian animals, protective on-farm animal husbandry practices and exclusion fencing.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
