A Lochiel woman and her daughter have been left traumatised and a valuable alpaca dead after a vicious dog attack on Friday, June 29.
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Police and Bega Valley Shire rangers were called to the Lochiel property by frantic owner and alpaca breeder Jennie Kershaw.
“I was just about to leave for Bega when I saw a dog running around and I saw it trying to get into the paddock,” Ms Kershaw said. She described the dog as a Staffordshire terrier breed.
Concerned about the welfare of her 11 alpacas, Ms Kershaw attempted to restrain the dog in her garage but it escaped and ran to the nearest gate.
“It ran under the gate and charged at the animals. I raced after it but it cut one of the alpacas from the herd and she got caught. He had her by the face. He ripped her eyes out. She was screaming and I was screaming for help,” a distraught Ms Kershaw said.
“I was screaming so loud a neighbour about 2km away heard me.”
Ms Kershaw called neighbour Bree O’Brien for assistance. Ms O’Brien said it was a nasty sight.
“The animal (the alpaca) was corralled in a corner. The dog was savagely attacking the alpaca. We tried to separate them and dragged the alpaca to a safe spot and restrained the dog. I then called the vet,” Ms O’Brien said.
“Bree was covered in blood and everywhere there was blood,” Ms Kershaw said.
When the collar came off the dog, Ms Kershaw grabbed it by the scruff of the neck but said she was afraid it would attack her. She managed to get a rope on the dog before it was locked into the back of the ranger’s ute.
“This alpaca was the granddaughter of Supreme Huacaya alpaca Ambersun Fortune Seeker, an animal sold at auction for $136,000,” Ms Kershaw said.
“There needs to be a message sent out that while these dogs may appear nice to the family any dog can attack but these type of dogs latch on and will not let go.
“My dread is what could have happened if I had not been here. I have breeding stock and some are about to give birth. These aren’t only stock they are also our pets but now I have an animal to bury,” Ms Kershaw said.
As well as breeding the alpacas, Ms Kershaw and her daughter Chelsea Daghita often show the alpacas at country and Sydney shows.
The alpaca had been mauled to the extent that the vet had to to euthanase it.
Police and two rangers attended the scene and the dog was taken away by rangers who also took statements from Ms Kershaw and Ms O’Brien.
