Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer
One of my most vivid childhood memories was of a dog attack on the sheep on our neighbour's property.
For our neighbour's sheep, it was carnage with dead and injured sheep across the paddock.
The dog involved was caught and euthanised, which also left me sad and angry since it was somebody's pet, and it seemed like a nice, friendly dog.
Fast forward to 2026, and I consistently hear from property owners that the biggest hazard of keeping sheep on a property located near a town is dog attacks by town dogs.
Usually, these are caused by somebody's pet dog, which hasn't been correctly confined and has been allowed to stray onto the sheep owner's property.
In such cases, the owner of the dog is liable for the damage that the dog causes.
Furthermore, under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, the owner of the livestock has the right to destroy a dog that is found in the area in which their livestock are located.
It's worth remembering that dogs have an instinct to roam and hunt.
The simple way to prevent this from happening is to keep your dog confined or restrained. If allowed to wander, a dog can cause considerable damage in a short space of time.
