Macedon Ranges residents are calling for urgent action after a spate of dog attacks that has killed more than 20 animals, including a kangaroo.
Residents and a local wildlife rescuer believe the number of incidents and the severity of the attacks are on the rise.
Baynton farmer David Young had 11 sheep die in the three days after his livestock were attacked on May 26.
Another 15 of Mr Young’s sheep had flesh mauled off of their face and legs.
Mr Young said he saw two collared dogs running from his property after the attack.
It was the second time in a week that dogs had preyed on his livestock.
He said that the week earlier, his neighbours lost 10 sheep from a dog attack.
Mr Young said he had heard of the death of 30 to 40 livestock animals from attacks in the area in recent months.
“Something needs to be done – this has gone on too long,” he said.
He is among a number of farmers calling for pet owners to take greater responsibility for securing their dogs.
“Just because you see your dog at the front door when you get home, doesn’t mean it’s been there all day,” he posted on Facebook.
Other residents responded to his post, saying they, too, had lost livestock to dog attacks.
“This is becoming a constant occurrence,” a resident said.
“We had six sheep mauled to death, and more with bite wounds to the rear legs by dogs who were not contained properly.”
Macedon Ranges Wildlife Network rescuer Sue Anderson said she had noticed more incidents of domestic dogs attacking wildlife.
“I have known of four cases of dog attacks in the last month,” Ms Anderson said.
“Last week alone, a large creamy-coloured dog mauled a kangaroo to death in a paddock next to the Gisborne golf course,” she said.
“It’s depressing as a volunteer to be called out to deal with these stressful situations when they could be avoided by people just being more responsible.”
A submission to Macedon Ranges council’s draft budget and strategy 2018-19 called for the council to change its dog policy, asking it to “start protecting the public from unconstrained dogs in public places”.
“Dogs in Woodend are largely unconstrained in public places,” the submission stated.
Current shire policy is that dogs do not have to be on a lead. But dogs are required to be supervised if they are off-lead, community safety manager Anne-Louise Lindner said.
Ms Lindner said it was dog owners’ responsibility to keep their pets on their properties if they were not being supervised.
The council last month reminded residents it was illegal for dogs to be unsupervised on public land after officers were called to 13 dog attacks in March and April, some of which resulted in deaths of wildlife, livestock and pets.
