Sheep Savaged By Dogs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 1

Sheep Savaged By Dogs

Christchurch detectives are satisfied that the lambs and ewes killed on a Halswell farm on Sunday evening were savaged by dogs and not shot as had originally been thought.

This was confirmed by a veterinary instructor from Lincoln College who examined several carcases yesterday morning at the request of the police. Another 20 lambs were found maimed yesterday morning. One was dead and others may have to be destroyed. Twenty-four lambs and six ewes were found in the same condition on Monday morning. Some had been killed outright and 12 lambs and one ewe were later destroyed. The dead animals, valued at more than £lOO, were the property of Mr H. L. W. Cox, of Templetons road, Halswell. They were part of a flock of 250 ewes and lambs

in a one-acre paddock about a quarter of a mile from his house. Detective T. O. Tozer said yesterday it was understandable that Mr Cox had thought the animals had been shot as many of the wounds were punctures, particularly about the forequarters. “A puncture on either side of the leg gave the impression that a bullet had passed right through. At first sight it looked as if the animal had been shot with a .22 rifle,” Detective Tozer said. He said two dogs had been seen by a neighbouring farmer coming off Mr Cox’s property yesterday morning. Another farmer in the district had recently shot a dog found on his property.