February 8 2010

Farmers and farm staff have been put on notice that the Ashburton District Council is about to take a tough line with owners of roaming farm dogs.

Regulatory manager Adrian Humphries has fielded several calls in recent weeks from stock owners whose animals have been savaged by wandering dogs.

 “This problem is bigger than we think in rural areas because a lot of people step in and solve the problem themselves,” he said.

 With the change in farming styles that led to regular changes in farm staff, the problem was exacerbated by those who were more transient, simply moving on and leaving their dogs behind.

 There had always been a small number of farmers and staff who didn’t register dogs or who didn’t keep their animals under control, but this had increased significantly, Mr Humphries said.

 “We’ll be moving as a team and we will be going on to farms and looking for unregistered dogs and wandering dogs. We’ve had a lot of stock killed recently on farms, by dogs.”

 Currently the council has a strike rate of 98.6% of all known dogs on its register.

 This includes 973 new registrations.

 A total of 111 dogs are not accounted for. In the past seven months 150 dog infringement notices have been issued.

 Forty six dogs have been impounded since November 24 and five have been rehomed.

 In January the council took one dog owner to court for a dog attack and three people will appear in court next week on charges relating to vicious dogs.