A 100kg Wiltshire horn ram named “Rambeau” and an elderly ewe were killed on a property on the end of Riverview Road, North Narooma overnight on Thursday, December 14.

The sheep belonged to Clare Hooper and her family, who are devastated at the loss. The ewe was their first sheep that had produced many lambs for them over the years and was in retirement in the back paddock.

“Have to say, never thought anyone would get the better of Rambeau!” Mrs Hooper said.  “We are totally devastated but hope that if we get the message out we can save someone else the heartache. 

“We have several other sheep and they are now protected by double electric fencing around each paddock.”

Mrs Hooper happens to be a member of the Eurobodalla Animal Welfare League and regularly submits AWL reports to the Narooma News. She has photos of the sheep after the attack, but they are extremely confronting so she chose not to pass them on.

She is confident the dogs responsible were wild dogs and they have heard howling in the bush at the back of their land over the last six months. She said she did see one of the suspected dogs on Thursday and it was a large, mastiff type.

There have also been other reports of wild dogs in the area. Then over the weekend, a professional trapper employed by the Hoopers trapped and killed a smallish, black, female dog deemed to be wild.

“The howling in reply to her was worrying!  Looks as if they are right across the top of the ridge from our property at the end of Riverview Road to the main road,” Mrs Hooper said.

Local Land Services South East is responsible for controlling wild dogs in the area. Reports of wild dogs can be made to the Bega office on 6491 7800. 

South East Local Land Services manager for the Far South Coast, Jake Tanner said any reports would be forwarded to the service’s biosecurity staff and pest animal controllers.

“Wild dog populations fluctuate up and down but it's always good to receive reports in as timely fashion as possible, whether it's howlings or sightings, we need to know, Mr Tanner said. “The sooner we get the report the better chance we have with dealing with it.”

The Narooma area fell into the East Monaro Central South Coast Wild Dog and Fox Plan and his agency worked with both private land managers as well as National Parks and State Forest to map and control pest animals such as wild dogs.

LLS also offered regular free half-day courses on how to use vertebrate pesticides such as 1080 baits that can be laid for wild dogs.