SHEEP KILLED.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20924, 3 August 1933, Page 13

SHEEP KILLED.

DOGS IN HAGLEY PARK. TWO ALSATIANS SHOT. Thirty-seven ewes were killed and 12 others were badly worried by two Alsatian dogs that attacked a mob o: about 600 ewes in South Hagley Park early yesterday morning. The slaughter was not discovered until 7 o clock, but in the end both dogs—one oI either sex—were cornered and shot. The ewes were the property of Mr E. Wightman, of Methven, and had bee-, placed in the park on Monday, ready for sale at the Addington yards yesterday. The dogs were seen in the park near the hockey ground and the sheep a--7 a.m. by Mr J. Templeton. the groundsman at the Hagley Park cricket ground, who chased them away. Two sheep were seen lying dead in the polo ground at 7.10 a.m. by Mr Alec Gray, the groundsman lor Christ's College, who also noticed two Alsatian dogs coming into the park near the hockey ground. He rode his bicycle out Into Riccarton avenue, intending to follow, but lost sight of the dogs when they ran in among the mob of sheep.

Finding a Gon.

Leaving three of his men to watch at the polo ground, Mr Gray went to find the owner of the sheep. The police were called by telephone, but they said the matter was one for Messrs Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd. A message was sent to the Addington yards for a man with a gun, and Mr Gray went over there himself, returning with Mr F. Grieve, a yardsraan. who brought a shotgun with him. The aid of a man on horseback with two sheep dogs was also enlisted. Subsequently the Alsatians left the sheep and started off towards Lincoln road, but the horseman set his sheepdogs on to them and held them in the park. Then several men arrived, and a ring was formed around the Alsatians. About 8 a.m. Mr Grieve shot the slate-grey bitch, and then its mate, a big black and brown dog. took up a stand beside the body. This dog Mr Grieve shot with the second barrel. The snouts of both dogs bore evidence of their evil work. Neither wore a collar, and there was nothing to show by whom they were owned.

Possible Reason for Attack.

It was conjectured that hunger might have started the dogs on their attack, as one sheep was almost devoured, only the fleece, neck, head, and ribs remaining. From the wide area over which the carcases were scattered, and the appearance of the dead sheep, it appeared that after dining on their first victim the two dogs drove the flock from one point to another, attacking and pulling down the hindmost

Afterwards, Mr C. Ede, overseer for Messrs Pyne, Gould, Guinness, LttL. went round and killed several sheep that had been injured. At the same time he rescued half-a-dozen sheep that had been driven into an Bft drain by the Alsatians, although they had not been injured.

On Monday night two sheep in the park were disembowelled in exactly the same way as yesterday, but this is the first real trouble in the park for 12 months. Several years ago 40 or 50 sheep were found injured and wandering about, and on one occasion three sheep were found with their eyes removed, though that action was ascribed to some fiend. The biggest menace in the park, according to Mr Ede, is the sheep dog working with a fox terrier. The sheep dog, following its instinct, herds the sheep, while the small dog with it, becoming excited, begins to worry them.