DOGS RAID FOWL RUN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29099, 11 January 1960, Page 8

DOGS RAID FOWL RUN

51 Hens Dead, 10 Mauled

Two stray dogs killed 51 hens and badly mauled another 10 when they broke into a fowl run on the property of Mr I. Corbett, 121 Walnut avenue, Ashburton, early yesterday morning. The raid was first discovered by Mrs Corbett, who went to the run about 9 a.m. to feed the hens. She surveyed the scene in horror —dead fowls were scattered everywhere. Some had made vain attempts to fly over the high netting enclosure, others had been pulled off their perches and mutilated, and about 20 were lying around the yard under small heaps of dust.

In an adjoining run, Mrs Corbett noticed two dogs—a black spaniel and a bull terrier. She called to her husband who captured them without much difficulty. Mr J. R. Reeves, the district officer for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was called, and the 10 seriously injured hens were destroyed. Although the dogs had no collars, he recognised them as having worried poultry on three other occasions and immediately took them to their owner. After a brief discussion, Mr Reeves took the dogs to the country where they were shot.

“I warned the owner on previous occasions to keep the dogs under control, or else they would have to be destroyed,” said Mr Reeves. “In my 17 years as an officer of the S.P.C.A., never have I seen anything as bad as this—it is plain butchery,” he said waving his hand towards the heap of hens.

Mr Reeves, who was appointed dog control officer for the Ashburton Borough Council last year said that during the last few months he had picked up a number of dogs running at large after dark.

On those occasions I returned them to their owners warning them to keep their dogs under control, but in future any dogs caught straying at night will be destroyed. The council by-laws W! P be rigidly enforced. Action will also be taken against owners who do not have heir re dn« c ° llars attached to their dogs, Mr Reeves said, addln.g that he had noticed a number without collars. The hens are believed to be valued at about £6O. Mr Corbett collected about 30 eggs a day.