Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Bad Dog


It doesn't take long for the harsh realities of daily life to creep in after returning from a lovely holiday - there's the stack of Bills retrieved from the letterbox, the filthy car to clean out and the piles of laundry to attend to. What isn't expected is to come home and find most of your farm pets dead.

If you can picture a scene where 4 little children literally jump out of the car before the engine has even been turned off so they can race off to see their beloved pet sheep Rocco and Lulu, only to find that they have been mauled by stray dogs. It's a horrific scene for anyone, let alone little Kids who had no warning of what their eyes would see. They were all inconsolable the whole afternoon. We then searched for the rest of the menagerie and found half our flock of Chooks had been killed as well as one of my lovely Indian Runner ducks. This was all before we have even turned the house key into the front door. 

A frantic call to a neighbour who confirmed that the day after we left, 2 stray dogs went on a killing spree in our area. They killed one neighbours Pony. A Pony! Another neighbour had their Alpaca maimed and another neighbour lost their flock of chickens. The neighbour we called actually saw the dogs and tried to shoot them but missed the shot. His two mature Alpacas tired the dogs out and they fled. They have not been seen since but were sighted further down the Valley. The local Council know exactly where one of the dogs lives and a case is being built against the owner. We actually missed a call from our neighbour while we were away but he didn't leave a message so we thought we'd just call him back when we got home. Sometimes ignorance IS bliss.

I know these things happen but it was such a horrible way to arrive home. I feel terrible that we weren't here when it happened, but it probably would have happened anyway because all the other neighbours were home when the attacks occurred. And then there are the "what if's". What if I was outside with Flynn and left him for a moment to answer the phone and the dogs turned up? It doesn't really bare thinking about. I'm sad it's happened, angry at the dog owner and the senseless destruction of innocent animals but mostly heartbroken for the Kids. Rocco and Lulu were really part of our family. We hand-reared them as lambs and they were such characters and great pets for the Kids. The above photo was taken a week before we went away and is one of my absolute favourites because it was a completely impromptu photo of the Kids before they hopped in the car to go to their inaugural Winter Sport games. Lulu decided she would like to photo-bomb the photo and ran up to the kids and poked her head through the middle of the line up. This is not the first time she had stolen the limelight. We are really going to miss them.

Despite the sad tenure of this post we also look back on the joy these animals gave us and if there is a silver lining it is this - one of the hens happened to go broody for the first time while we were away and was sheltered from the attack as she was tucked up in her nest sitting on her clutch of eggs - a new generation of Chooks are already on their way!


41 comments :

  1. Oh Mel - what a dreadfully heartbreaking homecoming
    I hope they are able to find and deal with those dogs before they kill any more animals
    Big hugs to you all
    xx

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  2. Oh no. this is terrible.
    Wild dogs can do so much damage. and what's sad is that these dogs were often once pets and get neglected or dumped, and this is the result.
    x

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  3. What a terribly sad scene to come home to! No wonder everybody was distraught and angry. I hope they have enough evidence to prosecute the owner of the dog and that the dog gets dealt with appropriately too. Senseless.

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  4. Oh Mel I am so sorry that this happened and for the little ones to have this happen to their loved pets, what a horrific sight. I can't believe that people would be so irresponsible with their pets I do hope that something happens to the owner and the dogs so this doesn't happen again. xxx

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  5. How awful for your family, such a sad time for you all :( xxx

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  6. Oh Mel, that is just tragic. Your poor poor children seeing that first hand. When the fox caught and decapitated all three of our chooks and left their headless bodies under our trampoline, the only relief was knowing that our children were spared seeing it all. Maybe you could have a special ceremony and plant a tree over those beautiful lambs for your children to remember them. Roboboy still has a laminated card with one feather from each of his white/brown and black chooks and it is blutacked onto his bed head. mel x ( I did have a moment of panic when I started reading this post that perhaps the whippet was the bad dog, great relief there).

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  7. Oh my, Mel, I don't know what to say. So so sad. I will say, I simply LOVE that photo, it's utterly gorgeous. A beautiful memory, that I am sure your littlies will treasure forever and a day. Thank goodness the whippet was also obviously out of harm's way too. Big hugs Mel xoxo

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  8. Oh Mel, I'm so so sad for you all, especially your children who had to witness such a horrible homecoming :( I was only thinking about you and your family earlier in the week and had thought back to your two lambs and how sweet they were wandering into your house and I was wondering how they were going... so now I feel especially sad :( That photo above is so precious xx

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  9. How bloody awful. We always tie our dogs up at night without fail, and whenever I'm not home. can't stand wandering dogs, and by the sounds of it they aren't even just strays, someone OWNS them? even worse. But I guess, like my dad used to say when we were kids, if you have animals you have to expect deaths, and my kids are well used to a beloved pet dying. Doesn't make it any better, especially in such horrific circumstances, but the kids will bounce back, and will have learnt some of the harsher realities of country life. (and yes, A PONY?! but go alpacas!)

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  10. People who do not control their pets really really piss me off. This is awful, last year in Melbourne a four year old girls was attacked and killed by a dog from a house around the corner from hers...IN HER HOUSE. The owners get no real penalty, about $500 fine..anyway, I shouldn't get started on this issue, it is a real bee in my bonnet!

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  11. So sorry for you all...what a dreadful thing to happen. As our chooks fell of their perches we buried them under rose bushes in the garden and changed the name of the rose to that of the chook....maybe a trip to the garden centre for some beautiful plants which can mark the graves of your animals would be a lasting and beautiful tribute? Rx

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  12. I'm terribly sorry for your loss, and that the kids had to see the carnage - I can't imagine. I agree with Romy, that maybe a ceremony might help, but really I can't even find the words - how senseless. Take care until they are caught.

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  13. Mel, I am so so sorry. So sad that your gorgeous children witnessed that. I clicked on your link wondering what lovely Remy had been up to not imagining anything like this. How very devastating for everyone. I hope that irresponsible owner is brought to account. Those lovely sheep! I adored that photo of yours and the one of the children off to school. Much love to you all xxx

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  14. Heartbreaking ... no other word for it. Dogs running rampant are a rarity here, but if it does ever happen it's the local sheep that suffer, and it's so very sad. Those poor kids :(

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  15. Oh that's so sad. Hope the children are ok now bless them must have been awful. I love sheep. Such a shame there are irresponsible dog owners out there.
    Best wishes to all of you

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  16. Oh what a shame. So sad for you all and what an awful way to arrive home. You poor things. I initially thought you meant dingos but you obviously mean 'pet' dogs. How big are they if they killed a pony? The council need to pull their finger out and protect the community before any more animals are hurt or worse. Stay safe in the mean time x

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  17. Oh Mel how awful. I'm so sorry. But maybe it's just as well you were unaware throughout your holiday, otherwise you would've wanted to get home. Hugs to you and your kids. xx

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  18. Oh Mel so sorry this was waiting when you arrived home, how awful for you all. Sending hugs x

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  19. Oh Mel, so sorry to hear this. Hopefully there will be a speedy outcome before they cause anymore heartache. I love your photo of the photo bombing sheep. Makes me smile xo

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  20. Mel,

    That must have been so traumatic for them. Hopefully the owners and their dogs will be dealt with soon.

    Leanne xx

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  21. Oh god that just sucks! I can just imagine the poor kids were devestated. Hopefully the owner gets what's coming to him! Big hugs to you and the family xx

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  22. This is just awful! I feel so bad for your kids to have witnessed their poor pets. I hope your kids recover from their shock soon. It's ridiculous that the dogs have not been destroyed nor the owners made to pay for damages, especially when the authorities know who the dog owners are. I hope things are sorted out soon, or no one will feel safe. Take care, glad you all made it home safely in any event. You're right the new brood of chicks will add a bit of happiness for your family. Wendy

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  23. sweet girl, what can I say! So sorry to hear about your beloved animals...I can't imagine the loss and grief the kids are experiencing, however such the gentle soul that you are, they are blessed to have such wonderful memories of their animals and a mumma who will nurture their grief. Much love and hugs xx

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  24. What an awful way to end what sounded like a wonderful holiday - so sorry for you and the kids to have to deal with this. I hope that they get over the trauma quickly. xx

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  25. I am soooo sorry to hear this! I grew up on a small sheep farm in Kentucky in the US (I actually live on the corner of it still), and I, too, had my pet lambs and have suffered similar tragedies. Your poor kids! Give them extra hugs from me!

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  26. Oh Mel, I know exactly how you feel. It's awful when things like this happen. I hope the council catches the dogs, and that the owners take responsibility. Dog attacks happened recently to us, as well as several years ago when wild dogs went through our neighbour's poddy calves.
    xx

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  27. Oh, no! How awful. I'm sorry your family had to go through this. I hope your kids are ok.

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  28. how sad, and frightening! the photo is really beautiful though, such a sweet looking wee sheep. hope the kids remember this and not her sad end x

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  29. Oh hun that is just awful and tat must have been so hard to explain to the kids. It always amazes me that nature can be so incredibly beautiful but at the same time so downright ugly and harsh xx

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  30. Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. What a heartbreaking thing for you all to come home to. I hope your little ones will be able to forget the awfulness of what they saw in time and just remember the fun they had with their farm pets. Truly sorry for you all and I hope your council will be able to do something about the dogs :(

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  31. I am so, so sorry this happened to you. And even more sorry your kids stumbled upon the aftermath. I hope the dog owners are held responsible, but the sad thing is no matter what penalty is inflicted it can't replace your beloved pets.

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  32. Oh Mel. How horrendous. I really feel for you all. Must catch up this week. Love you. J x

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  33. Oh dear Mel. What a horrible scene to return to. Surely the council can just remove the dogs from their owners if they know where they are. Children do thankfully have shorter memories of such things but I'm sure it will take you quite a long time to recover.
    Where was the whippet? Is he okay?

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    1. The Whippet was at the "Doggy Hotel" while we were away. Not really sure what would have happened if he was here....He's a timid dog but super fast so I like to think he would have outrun them, but who knows really.

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  34. Oh Mel, what a terrible way to return.
    So damn awful.
    xxxxxxxxxxx

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  35. So sorry you had your homecoming joy robbed in such an awful way.
    Am so glad you have that great photo above.

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  36. Oh Mel, as a farm kid I can all to easily relate to what you're describing. It's so so sad. Take care, thinking of you guys xx

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  37. So sorry for your family, hope everyone feels better soon. Hope the council gets the dogs responsible before they upset more families.

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  38. Thank you so so much for your kind words. Local Council now believe local farmers further down the valley have "dealt" with the dogs. x

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  39. oh mel, how awful. i hope time will help, but your lovely attitude will for sure. hugs xxxxxx lori

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  40. What an awful scene to come home to. I hope the kids are coping ok I am sure it was a lot for them to deal with. Good luck with the broody chook

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