Two domestic dogs that killed a flock of lambs at Lismore’s Kadina High School on Tuesday morning had escaped an electric fence at the property where they were being held.
Agriculture students lost 13 lambs in the attack, which they had been raising as part of a school project.
The dogs’ owners will be almost $6,000 poorer as a result of the attack, which has resulted in the two animals being euthanised.
The microchipped dogs were seized at the site of the attack, and on Wednesday morning rangers visited the home of the dog owners.
They had made attempts to keep the dogs contained in the yard using an electric fence but during wet weather the dogs had been able to dig under the fence and escaped.
The owners, who said they were devastated with what had happened, signed surrender forms for both the animals and paid a $374 surrender fee to Lismore council.
The dogs have since been euthanised and the owners served with fines totalling $2,849 have now been issued.
If the matter had gone to court, the maximum penalty for each dog attack is $22,000 or imprisonment for two years, or both .
But a Lismore council spokesperson said the offence was considered ‘not in the worst category of dog attack offences, and having considered all of the circumstances, the fine amount was considered to be comparable to the penalty if the matter went to court.’
‘The owner knows the devastation this has caused to the students, and has also agreed voluntarily to pay compensation directly to Kadina High School which is likely to total around $3,000,’ she added.
‘…the offence was considered ‘not in the worst category of dog attack offences’
I suppose killing people or kids would have been worse, but even the killing of so many young lambs is up there with the worst. I hope that the heavy impost on the owners gets wide coverage as a warning to other dog owners.
Why in the hell do you kill animals who kill animals to show that killing animals is wrong?! I truly live in a stupendously dumb and profoundly sick society…
Dog kills lambs… killed….
Shark kills human… ????
Something wrong with this picture.
I wouldn’t trust an electric fence for ANY dog. I’m glad they’re holding these people fully responsible for the damage caused by their negligence and euthanized the dogs. The last thing the authorities should do is return known vicious dogs back to irresponsible owners until a kid is dead.
I note with interest that the breed of these dogs has not been announced. I am willing to bet they are of a large aggressive breed not suitable in areas where city and rural lifestyles overlap.
Why would you need an electric fence to keep in inoffensive, harmless breeds like cocker spaniels, jack russells etc?
Bleeding heart animal rights defenders and backyard breeders are largely responsible for the continual presence of these aggressive large breeds.
Fines and euthanasia shut the gate after the horse has bolted. Far better to legislate against size and breeds.
How pathetic! Why didn’t the owners tie these dogs up especially at night? Did they really expect an electric fence to contain them? They deserve the maximum fine possible. My heart goes out to the poor lambs who would have definitely experienced the worst kind of terror possible.
It is tragic that the lambs lives were taken by the dogs but it is also sad that the dogs lives were taken and my heart goes out to their owners who had to make the terrible choice to surrender them. The owners had tried to contain the dogs and they were probably much loved pets. I do find it strange though if a few lambs are killed the dogs are destroyed rather than simply being contained more effectively. At the same time thousands of lambs can be slaughtered for Australian dinner tables and that is completely okay?