WHEN Karara grazier and shearer Ian Cullen called for help after wild dogs tore into his sheep flock on his property Rockdale, more than 70 willing people turned out to help to destroy the marauding canine menaces.
Mr Cullen, who has already made a significant investment in the construction of an exclusion fence around his 1600 hectare property, said he was overwhelmed by the community’s response.
“I was hoping to get enough people so we could get rid of these dogs, but when more than 70 people arrive on a Sunday morning its just incredible,” Mr Cullen said.
“I don’t know how to thank them. These dogs were destroying our sheep, not to eat them mind you, just for the sport of killing.”
Mr Cullen was at a loss to explain how the dogs had gained access to Rockdale.
“We’ve been along every inch of the fence and there is no sign a dog has gone through of under the mesh,” he said.
“All I can think of is they must have avoided the hot wire and somehow jumped in.”
But Mr Cullen wasn’t the only person sporting a grin last Sunday. It’s taken Bill Fearby 60 years to do it, but he’s finally blasted one.
Mr Fearby, who celebrated his 77th birthday on the day of the feral dog drive, said he had attended hundreds of similar events over the decades.
However, the veteran grazier had never lifted his shotgun, let alone fired a shot in anger, as he’s waited patiently for a feral dog to come into range.
“I’ve been coming to dog drives since I was about 16 but I’ve never shot a dog before, never even taken aim at one,” he said.
“It’s a great feeling to get one rid of one these bxxxxxds. The damage and destruction they cause is just unreal.
“Before, everything would stop if a single dog was causing a problem in any of this country. The difference now is the dog problem is absolutely out of control.”
Mr Fearby has, however, gained a well respected reputation as one of the region’s leading experts in trapping feral dogs. On that front he has hundreds of scalps to his credit.