Dog attacks on sheep in vineyard were “an accident waiting to happen”

Dog attacks on sheep occur in Marlborough vineyards.
Photo: LDR

Dog attacks on sheep running free on Marlborough vineyards are an “accident waiting to happen”, says the council’s animal control contracts manager.

Jamie Clark said there had been six attacks on sheep in the past year, with “three, four or five” animals often being attacked at once.

Not all the sheep were living in the vineyards, but a council spokesman said the areas had been identified as potentially dangerous due to the number of vineyards in the region where sheep are raised.

Sheep were often left free in the vineyards to help pick leaves and tend the grass and weeds between the rows.

Last month, Clark presented his annual dog control report to the Environment and Planning Committee.

Clark said it was not unusual for Marlborough residents to take their dog for a walk in the countryside.

“(They) take their dogs to the vineyards and of course in some cases it is just an accident waiting to happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, a council spokesman said sheep escaping from vineyards had also prompted calls to the council and people were urged to “be aware”.

The spokesman said people often let their dogs run “uncontrolled” in vineyards.

There were six reported dog attacks on sheep last year, with “three, four or five” sheep often being attacked at once.
Photo: Marlborough Express

The agenda for the Environment and Planning Committee meeting included minutes from the Animal Control Subcommittee meeting, which said the council was investigating an alleged “serious attack” at Spring Creek, north of Blenheim, in July.

Clark told the commission that during the incident two dogs allegedly attacked eight sheep.

The council later said the case was “pending in court” and would not clarify whether the incident took place on a vineyard.

The minutes of the subcommittee meeting show that the dogs are being kept at the shelter, but the owner does not want to give them up.

A council spokesman explained that the surrender of the dog meant that ownership was transferred to the council.

“The council then decides what to do with the dog after temperament tests have been carried out,” the spokesman said.

“This includes rehoming, adopting or euthanizing a dog due to risk if the dog is not suitable for rehoming due to its aggressive nature.”

The annual report to the committee said 10,695 dogs were registered in the last financial year. Of these, 2,787 were working dogs.

The report found there were 45 complaints of dogs “biting or lunging at people” and 35 bites classified as “other.” There were 12 “dangerous” dogs and 17 “threatening” dogs in the region.

During the year, 197 dogs were hauled away, of which 170 were returned. Some of the remaining dogs found new homes, and nine dogs were put down.

Clark explained that the nine dogs that were put down failed temperament tests and the risk of rehoming them was too great.

Animal Control received 2,372 complaints about dogs last fiscal year. 409 of those were for barking.

There were 243 offences issued. 189 of these were for failure to register a dog and 26 for failure to control or confine a dog.

Two people falsely reported the death of their dog.

LDR is local journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.